Marauding
by Draco Malfoy is Blonde
Summary: A different perspective of an old prank. And old prank, the Marauders will face a dark lord thrice, marry, have children, lose friends and die since it happened. And fifteen years later, its that night that's still on Sirius Black's mind, the night Snape was saved by James, the night Remus' darkest secret got out, the night that was all his fault... Supposedly.
1. The Shrieking Shack

Remus gave Madame Pomfrey an awkward smile as she closed the trap door to the shrieking shack. Remus didn't look around this grey place, after six years he didn't need to; the only thing that changed was the damage.

He did move to a boarded up window, east facing, so he could watch the sun set.

Remus was a tall boy, James and Sirius were taller, but Remus was no short ass himself. He was thin though, thinner than either of his friends, James was lithe and muscular while Sirius was just muscular. The chaser and the beater, exactly what you would expect. Sirius was taller than James, at 6'6 he was massive, while James was a respectable 6'2 and Remus himself stood at 5'11. But Remus was thin, he often had people exclaim over his height in surprise because he was so thin, they didn't really notice how tall he actually was. Peter - who was a short ass - told him at least twice a week that he would be shorter than Peter if he were a normal size. Peter himself was only 5'3 but he was wider than all three boys put together.

Remus's hair was sandy brown, and thin and sort of short, for a boy. It was the 1970's after all and at least half of the boys in sixth year were rocking a mullet, Peter included, so the thin brown hair that hung just below his eyes was considered 'short and sensible' but not at all stylish. James' dark hair was the same length, but it stuck up like the boy had been electrocuted, not helped by his hand constantly messing it up.

Sirius had long hair, somehow he managed to remain the most masculine bloke ever, even with the ponytail he often sported. His hair was pitch black, James' was brown, black, but Sirius' was black, black.

Peter's before mentioned mullet was blonde, his eyes watery and bad acne had plagued the boy since he was twelve but he was happy enough to just float around, every now and then he would contribute to the conversation but he was usually just tagging along, watching and never acting unless it was a small part but apart of the group none the less.

Remus often thought that if all the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players; Peter would be a tree, and not an important one at that.

Remus himself thought he (Remus) was not unkind on the eyes, but he was not as good looking as Sirius, who had the grey eyes and aristocratic beauty which has been not uncharacteristic of the Black family, Narcissa, Andromeda, Regulus, Sirius Parents - the Blacks Remus had seen anyway, but seemed even more stunning than any of his relatives by his own casual elegance, rather than their pole-in-ass manner.

James joined Remus in the town of Average-ville, though he was certainly living in the nice estate on the hill near the border of 'Ridiculously Good Looking Town' (Where Sirius was the Mayor.) His hazel eyes and slight aristocratic features (from his Grandmother, Dorea Black, figures.) Made him handsome, but not jaw dropping.

The before mentioned thin, brown haired, average looking boy at the boarded up window got a sad look in his amber eyes as the sun dipped below the horizon, he hugged a too big grey shirt to his thin frame away from the cold and trudged over to the bed in the room where he sat with his knees pulled into his chest and waited.

The body on the bed began to pant, then heave, his eyes got bigger and went a sickly yellow.

He whimpered, and grunted, and fell off of the bed with a bang, the clothes didn't rip as his body got bigger, they filled out. But his head snapped up at a sound on the other side of the trap door, the pointed ears on top of his head pricked up and a growl/scream came from his mouth as his muzzle got longer and his nose want black. His teeth were pushed from the roof of his mouth and canine teeth descended.

In the thin boy's place a werewolf stood, at least eight foot tall and broad with light brown fur covering its body. It sniffed the air and took a step towards the door, its ears pricked again, and it hunched over, like it was going to attack. A huge, strong coiled spring with teeth.

And then the door bashed open.

* * *

_The thing Remus hated the most about the werewolf curse was not the pain, or, even the danger, but the feeling. He was not in control of his own mind, never had been, not as a werewolf, and sometimes not even as a human. He growled at others when he was threatened or angry or stressed, it was awful, living in fear like this. Imagine being frustrated with someone, and instead of thinking 'I'll punch them in the jaw' your first reaction is 'I'll gut them with my claws and rip their throat out with my teeth. Grrrr.'_

_But the transformation was not as mindless as all the wizards thought it was. He had no control, but he was aware. Remus was aware as the Werewolf smelled human, and was aware of the noises coming from the tunnel but had no control as Moony silently got ready to pounce. Remus couldn't control the saliva that filled his doggy mouth, or his lips lifting in a silent snarl, or the paws silently flexing in anticipation. The door bashed open, and Remus hadn't been that worried, he had expected a dark brown stag and a fat blonde rat riding on the stag's head (which Moony had learned from the others was not a snack) __and a shaggy black dog; tongue lolling out the side of its mouth like a slobbery idiot._

_It wasn't._

_The werewolf roared and pounced on the big nosed, bat-like, greasy Severus Snape, who was too terrified to move. Remus resisted enough to slow Moony, the wolf tripped, but that was all Remus could manage, and with an angry growl Remus' consciousness was stolen and Moony took over. The last thing Remus remembered was Snape's terrified, white, greasy face._

* * *

The werewolf didn't stop, but rather Snape was pulled away. Moony crashed into the tunnel wall and James Potter pulled Severus away screaming.

"RUN YOU IDIOT!" James screamed in Snape's ear which finally shocked the boy into action and they bolted back up the tunnel and to the Hogwarts grounds. The werewolf was chasing them, but something was keeping it back, slowing it down and whatever it was, the boys were grateful.

"NOW PETER!" James screamed as they reached the entrance and the boys ran onto the grounds and back to the castle. Vicious growls followed them up the tunnel but no werewolf followed.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" James screamed at the still white-faced boy once they were inside the castle.

"Indeed, Mr. Snape." A third voice entered their loud and one sided conversation. "Mr. Potter presents a very good question."

The boys turned to face Professor McGonagall and Professor Slughorn standing at the foot of the grand staircase.

"Professors..." Potter said, shocked.

"It was Black!" Snape accused, "He told me to go, He didn't tell me Lupin was... he just said press the knot!"

McGonagall narrowed her eyes. Potter looked at Snape, shocked And resigned all at once. Slughorn looked like he had personally achieved something.

"My office, now," She said curtly, the boys ducked their heads and walked silently to the office.

Potter and Snape naturally placed themselves either side of the room, glaring heatedly if their gaze met.

Dumbeldore joined them first, which put them both on edge as the usual jovial man was very _troubled_.

He was silent, as was Slughorn when he joined them, and Sirius, who looked terribly white and McGonagall who looked ready to breathe fire.

"Mr. Lupin is not in the shrieking shack," She informed them quietly. "Aurors have been called to find him and catch him."

"And Mr. Black made a full confession," Slughorn said, almost happily. "Probably some kind of funny prank, hmmm, Black?" Before Sirius could reply, Slughorn cut him off. "Such disdain for the safety of other students warrants expulsion, Albus." Slughorn said, Sirius didn't make a noise but his shocked face and then pleading look at McGonagall said it all. McGonagall didn't look back at her student.

"I agree, Mr. Black will be sent home, and his wand snapped-"

"No," Professor Dumbledore looked between the heads of house. "Mr. Black will be severely punished for his misdeeds, but as it remains; thanks to Mr. Potter, no one was hurt, and it was not meant to be malicious-"

"Albus!" The protesting exclamation came from McGonagall, "Setting up a student to be _mauled_ by a werewolf - a werewolf who is a close friend-"

"Minerva, please," Albus said, he looked at Sirius sternly. "Mr. Black will have a letter written home, and a new curfew of eight P.M. and Mr. Black," Dumbledore held no mirth in his expression as he leveled a most intimidating glare at Sirius. "This is your very last warning, another dangerous prank like this and you_ will _be expelled."

Sirius offered no reply, McGonagall dismissed him ordering for detention every night until Christmas and Sirius left.

"Mr. Potter," Dumbledore turned to the messy haired youth. "Your bravery and quick thinking must be commended, you saved Mr. Snape's life tonight, and Severus, are you alright my boy?"

James did not gloat or brag but stayed silent, Severus just nodded curtly and left with Slughorn, McGonagall escorted James back to the Common room, silently.

"If Mr. Black is not in bed, Mr. Potter please tell me." She asked of him, James nodded to her and said the password to the fat lady.

Sirius was _not _in bed but sitting in the common room, crying. It's the only time James has seen Sirius cry.

James stared at the hunched over figure, who looked straight at him and acted as if nothing was wrong. In fact, he took a breath and, tears still glistening on his cheeks, said goodnight to James; not cheerfully but not unkindly, and walked up the dormitory stairs.

James followed him, but by the time he was in the door Sirius was in bed, curtains drawn.

* * *

James went first thing to see Remus, who looked fine, if a bit scratched up and whiter than the hospital.

"Mr. Potter," Pomfrey greeted him, James ignored her in favor of Remus.

"Snape?"

"Fine."

"How?"

"Sirius thought it'd be funny."

Moony growled, and James took a good big step back. The growl ended in a coughing fit. Remus shook his head.

"No, no way," Remus said, "I don't believe you-"

"He confessed, nearly got expelled, its just that no one was hurt was why he's allowed to stay."

Remus nodded, then shook his head again. James sat on the edge of the bed. "Moony, Sirius hasn't told me otherwise, he never denied it. Never even explained himself."

"But-"

"Moony,-"

The teen boys looked around when the door creaked and Sirius poked his head through, His face fell when he saw James but came in anyway. Ignoring the shrieks of Pomfrey, Remus flung himself out of bed and ran to Sirius.

"Did you tell Snape about me?"

"No!"

"Did you tell him how to get there?"

"Yes but-"

"You told him?"

"Yes but-"

"There's no excuse Sirius, I can't believe you'd do that to me!"

Sirius remained silent to Remus' exclamation.

"Sirius!" Remus prompted, hoping for something from the boy. James and Poppy hovered around the pair. Remus growled, not Moony, Remus, and Sirius shrunk back. Then Remus shoved him and he fell to the ground with a wince. He shuffled back and kept his eyes away from the other boys and the nurse, who seemed not-inclined to interfere.

"You were my friend," Remus said harshly, and even surprising himself with his maliciousness and anger, kicked Sirius in the stomach.

Sirius coughed, and Poppy stepped forward then but Sirius waved her away, and he stood and he ran, still not saying a word.

Of course the whole school knew something happened, not, of course exactly but they picked up on Snape acting funny around Lupin, Sirius being in a shitload of trouble and Lupin, Potter and Pettingrew acting hostile toward their fourth accomplice.

It eventually came out that Lupin's 'Time of the Month' referred to uncontrollable anger issues (in part due to his furry little problem, which was a badly behaved rabbit.) and Remus nearly killed Snape, because of something Black did.

The gossip mill were scarily accurate. This being the (truth) most accurate conclusion soon the whole school turned on Sirius for his crimes.

* * *

Two days after The Snape Attack as Peter had dubbed it had the three boys sitting in Transfiguration. McGonagall was lecturing and Peter was eating something he smuggled in from breakfast while Remus was diligently taking notes and Potter was death glaring the back of Sirius' head as he did most lessons.

Remus didn't notice his quill stop as he stared between the two boys. Sirius was being quiet, which was odd for Sirius, though he didn't get a good reception for anything he did these days. Head down, studious, quiet. These were words which did not describe Sirius.

"Moony." James whispered to Remus as McGonagall began to demonstrate, "I just realized something." Remus replied with a questioning glance. "We can't come at full moons anymore," James explained, _"Padfoot_," He said with disdain, "Always kept Moony in line, you'll hurt Peter or I without him."

Remus realized he was right with a horrible, crushing dread, rising up with a hundred million times more hatred when he realized what a real _bastard_ Sirius Black was.

After this little realization, if it were possible Remus was even more cold with Sirius, as the full moon drew closer and closer with every day, each week and before he knew it, it was time to put on his oversized 'wolf clothes' and be taken to the Shrieking Shack again with Madame Pomfrey.

* * *

_Remus was again pushed to the back of his own mind as his senses overtook, as the wolf came forward like an angry, slobbery, hungry dickhead. He could smell blood, far off, old blood, and something familiar which human Remus couldn't place but the wolf could as it bounded around excitedly. The door creaked and a shaggy black nose poked through before Padfoot slipped into the room._

_The werewolf stopped bouncing immediately and padded over to it's doggy friend, sniffing the black fur._

_The dog whimpered when the wolf pushed its nose against the massive bite on his side, it was old, by about a week but it was still seeping and sore. Moony licked the wound, which made Padfoot growl a clear warning 'leave it be.'_

_Remus stared at the bloody bite with wide eyes, (from where he was riding along in his head) that's a wolf bite. Moony's never done that to any of the others, specially not Sirius. It must have happened last month. With Snape, but no-one ever said Sirius was even there._

_The wolf whimpered and tried to lick the bite better again, but Padfoot moved away and towards the trap door, opening it with its teeth and showing the werewolf the way back to Hogwarts, straight into the forest._

_Moony chased Padfoot happily and much more gently than he usually would because the dog was hurt, but it was enough to keep the werewolf occupied until the sky in the east lightened and Padfoot led his companion back to the willow and the shack._

_Remus blacked out again as the wolf cured up on the bed, and he came to as the fur melted off of him and he felt his bones crack back to their normal shape and place._

Remus sat up in the shirt that swam on him and looked around, sore and groggy.

"Pads?" He asked no one as he literally fell asleep on the destroyed bed.


	2. Why Did You do it Padfoot?

Remus slept terribly after that. Not only had he hurt Sirius - badly - but he kicked him when he was down and almost killed Snape and he could feel Moony hulking around the corners of his mind; all the time now.

Remus pushed his bed covers off of the bed and poked his head out of the curtains. The waxing moonlight filled the room, Pete was sleeping in his own special upside down disfigured acrobatic sleeping position, James was cuddling his pillow as if it was Lily Evans and Sirius was awake.

Remus held his breath when he noticed the pale boy sitting up in bed, he was not wearing a shirt, and was shining in the moonlight, the crescent bite mark big and black against his skin.

* * *

_Moony recognized the dog, but it didn't matter then, not when there were humans. Two of them, and with Remus gone nothing would stop it._

_The dog nipped at the wolf's heels, and the wolf ignored it, lunging up the passageway, Moony let out a vicious growl when there was a sting in his tail._

_The wolf turned around and snarled at the dog who barked and snarled back, trying to start a fight. But the werewolf wanted_ humans._ This was a big dog, but Moony was bigger and certainly stronger and where the dog was trying to stop the werewolf without hurting it, the werewolf just wanted to bite the humans. _

_The dog lunged, and it was faster but Moony got it, in the side, the wolf bit down, blood filling its mouth and bones cracking as it plucked up the dog and shook it like a doll, throwing it against the wall._

_There was more snarling and the stupid dog got up again, keeping the wolf's attention, Moony went for the same spot, biting into the dogs side, and shaking again, biting and tearing and throwing the dog against a wall. It whimpered but couldn't move. Moony looked up the tunnel and ran for the castle._

_The humans were not found, Moony had run into the forest to hunt something and found humans in there, they knocked him out and tied him up and the next thing Moony or Remus remembered was being woken up by the sun in the Shrieking Shack. _

The image of Padfoot being shaken in Moony's mouth flashed before his eyes over and over. The whimpers and yelps of the dog. That bite was bad.

The Ministry knew of his condition. His parents needed approved containment and housing and muggle repelling charms and the like. So the Aurors that caught him were professional, at least. Sirius was nearly imprisoned by the Ministry, Dumbledore saved him - lord knew his parents would never pay that fine, not since he left them.

Remus stared at Pads, he looked up to Sirius so much, but all he saw now was someone who thought his whole life was a joke. Thought all life was a joke. Sirius winced as he touched the bite, tapping his wand against parts that looked like tears, not punctures, the wounds reopened and blood poured down the boys side.

"Fu-u-u-uck," Sirius whined quietly and he reached under his bed with a repressed whimper and pulled out a tiny trunk.

Bandages and slaves and gauze came out of the trunk and slowly Sirius began to dress the minced wound. His teeth bit into his bottom lip and his brow was furrowed as he dressed the wound in his side, he paused for a second, screwing his eyes shut and taking shallow breaths and when he opened his grey eyes, Remus was shocked to see him crying. He had never seen Sirius cry.

Remus couldn't watch anymore. He slid off the bed with out a word and took the bandage from Sirius, wrapping the wound for the silent boy on the bed, then he crossed the room, opened the door and left. Neither boy said a word at all.

What sort of monster does that to a friend? Remus made his way to the forest and just walked, thinking. He could feel the wolf prowling on the outskirts of his mind. Always there now, he had to make and effort to hold Moony back.

He would not lose control.

His 'condition' had never been so real to him, he had never seen a human while in werewolf form before, never lost control like he had in the infirmary, Remus was not going to kick Sirius but leap on him and go for the neck with his teeth.

Remus was thankful for that much control, as it was. He felt Moony surge forwards and resolutely pushed it back.

"You're not human."

Remus was startled by the unfamiliar voice and turned to see a centaur come from the trees. It was tall with black hair and tail and an Appaloosa body, and it was female, Remus had never seen a female centaur, not even in pictures.

"I am," Remus growled, Moony pushing forward even more as he tried to fight the wolf and the anger caused by her words.

"If you're a human I'm a horse." The _horse _told him, Remus just looked pointedly at the horse bits and said;

"Well I am human."

The Centaur laughed. "Accept who you are, Mr. Lupin," she told him, "you'll sleep better."

Remus growled at the horse again and that was the last straw. The lead in his mind holding Moony back snapped and Remus's vision went black for a moment then everything hit him full force.

The noise was first, not loud, really, just lots of it, like Moony's ears could hear; that's what it was. And sight; so many things were clearer, sharper, better quality. The smells were next, bad, good, sweet, sour all of it. He could smell the leaves and the trees and the sent of the centaur which lingered even though it was no longer there.

Remus stumbled but caught himself quickly, his limbs felt wrong - stronger, not weak anymore but _better_ and more graceful. Remus breathed a sigh, the best part was that he didn't feel like biting people. He didn't feel tired anymore, he didn't feel sick anymore, but panic was still there, he reached up and felt his hair, his cheeks his ears and eyes, he ran his tongue over his teeth and looked at his hands.

Then Remus breathed a sigh of relief, he was still human, incisors, canines, molars all normal, ears still round, fingernails not claws, no fur. No fur! Remus closed his eyes for just a moment and enjoyed the peace which had just overcome his usually warring mind.

Remus had met werewolves before. Gaunt, haunted and ill men who had fought it all their life, wolfish, vicious men who had had blood and killed people and were truly wolves all the time, and men who had simply accepted it. They were dirty and unshaven, manic even, telling the "kid" to just let go of the chain, let go, give up, embrace it, it's better.

Remus had been scared of these men, of all of them, trying to make him leave his parents and give up on Hogwarts and join the werewolf covens in the forests of Britain. Accept who he was and join people who wouldn't discriminate, give up on wizards like they will give up on you, kid. They all hate you. You're a monster.

A monster, he never thought of himself like that before and now, he couldn't get rid of it, he was Moony, Moony was Remus. Remus was a werewolf, not infected with the werewolf virus. He was a werewolf, it wasn't a condition, it was his species.

He was a monster. He will kill people, innocent people; he was living a lie.

He's a monster.

Remus gave a strangled cry and tried to fight the wolf again, but he couldn't, he was a wolf. He wasn't human. Panic came back full force. He couldn't breathe, his eyes watered and his vision became black around the edges.

He would have to leave, he was going to hurt someone else, what would happen at the full moon now he-

"Remus?"

Remus turned, panicked, to see Sirius, still shirtless, the idiot. Remus stumbled back when he saw him but all he could say was; "You're an idiot, you'll catch your death," Sirius nodded and replied.

"Are you alright?" He walked forwards and held Remus' shoulder.

Remus didn't know how to reply so he didn't. Just stared somewhere in the forest above Sirius' shoulder.

"You're not a monster, Rem, you're a werewolf, sure, but your a kind, gentle, smart werewolf."

"I-" Remus tried to dispute that but Sirius shut him up.

"You accepted it?" Sirius asked him, not unkindly

Remus nodded. "I didn't mean to I-"

"That's okay, you're still Remus. Moony. Nothing's changed, I promise."

Remus offered Sirius a shaky smile.

"I'm sorry for telling Snape." Sirius said with a defeated sigh.

"I'm sorry for hurting you I-"

"You _couldn't_ think, and I deserve it anyway, its fine, it'll get better."

"I still can't believe-"

"I know, Rem, I'm sorry I just, you know how, I dunno, impulsive I am, exhibit z my nipples could cut glass. Snape was pissing me off, and was hitting some real sore spots, its no excuse but its all I have. He, I didn't mean to he gave-"

Remus gave him a shakey laugh, interrupting him, "you're an idiot, but you're my friend." Then he handed Sirius his own cloak, and the two boys just walked up to the castle.

A shaky peace restored.

* * *

The other members of their dormitory were still asleep when the wolf and the dog came back, each boy silently climbed back into bed.

"Sirius, you awake?" Remus hissed after a moment, Sirius grunted a reply.

"What does it mean now, that I've accepted the wolf?"

"Just means your senses are better, and you might get a bit nuts when your angry, growl and stuff, nothing else changes."

"And I don't need to fight Moony anymore, in my head. I was so scared I'd end up like Greyback-"

"That's good," Sirius said, "hopefully it'll make it easier for you."

"Thanks Siri," Remus yawned, Sirius grunted a reply and both boys fell asleep.

* * *

"YOU WHAT?" James looked ready to tear his own hair out, Wormtail stood next to him, looking uninterested but Remus eyes flashed werewolf yellow at the other boy.

"Remus, you can't accept it, you'll end up like Greyback! And you just forgave Sirius, just like that are you mad?"

"I will never be like Greyback James," Remus said, apparently calm but his shaking voice gave away his anger, "and Sirius has helped more that you know, he was the reason I didn't chase you and Snape up the tunnel, he nearly died."

"MOONY!" James bellowed, "Moony chased us, not you!" James pressed on his friend, Remus took a deep breath and shook his head.

"James, I am Moony."

"No, Remus you're-"

"James, please, I'm a werewolf, not suffering from multi-personality disorder. I've come to terms with it, it took me 13 years but I'm happy, really, after fighting with myself all this time."

Moony had calmed down but James was still angry.

"Well it's good to know you just don't give a shit about anything!"

"What?"

"Snape knows, Remus, he knows, and if he tells-"

"Dumbledore already said he won't tell."

"And you trust his word?"

"Yes."

"Teachers aren't gods, Moony."

Remus didn't dignify that with a response.

"Look, it's more than that, You know what the punishment for Prongs is?" James asked in a hushed voice, "four years, and four years for not reporting an unregistered animagus too! Moony he could've ruined all our lives, I'd never be an Auror after a stay in Azkaban, hell, we wouldn't even be allowed to finish school!"

Remus shut his eyes and resisted the urge to slap the boy in front of him. He took a breath, counted to ten, even so his eyes were still yellow when he opened them, and he growled at James.

"I'm a werewolf, James, if Snape presses charges against the school I'll get fucking _put down_, and its not like I could ever be an Auror or a teacher or a healer, hell even a fucking ministry assistant anyway."

Before Remus hit his friend he turned and stomped off.

"NOT EVERYTHING'S ABOUT YOU LUPIN!" James screamed after him but Remus ignored the boy, or Moony _might_ kill him.


	3. Getting the Hell Over it

_Reviews are appreciated. I have a rather underwhelming response for this so far, but I'm sure there are more people reading it than toes who have reviewed and followed this story! _

_Thank you to the people who did review and follow, it is much appreciated and I'll tell you now you won't be disappointed. I'll admit to being particularly fond of this story myself. _

_Anyway, enjoy;_

* * *

"Moony, I need to explain myself-"

"Sirius, don't," Remus sighed, without James to entertain him Sirius was nearly unbearable, and he seemed to be incapable of just dropping the whole Snape Attack thing, Remus would rather forget about it.

"Remus, it's not what you think I-"

"Pads, please just drop it, it's over now."

Sirius sighed, defeated, Remus threw himself a celebratory party in his head, which quickly diminished at the look on Sirius' face.

"Sirius-"

"No, you're right, I should just drop it, It was wrong of me to betray my friends, I'd rather die than betray my friends."

Remus wanted to point out it was too late, but didn't. He would give Sirius the benefit of the doubt, maybe this would make the animagus grow up.

Sirius sighed and pulled out his homework, shoulders slumped, diligently putting quill to parchment and wrote an essay. Remus himself was flicking through the transfiguration books like a madman looking for the human transfiguration section, he knew Sirius knew all about animagus transformation - he did it first and helped the others, Remus knew all about it too, mostly for damage control - but that information was not useful for this essay.

"Stop it!" Remus said as Sirius started on a third paragraph. He looked up.

"What?"

"You have to look up the information Sirius, you can't just write it down!"

Sirius smiled at him.

"Why not Moony?" The shaggy haired boy asked his irate friend.

"Because you have to do it properly, Sirius you can't just-"

"Human transfiguration is a complex and dangerous branch of magic, and while the danger of most spells preformed on a human are intentional such as curses or hexes, or accidental, as in charm and spell misfire, backfire and explosion, human transfiguration, like all transfiguration spells run the risk of getting stuck, losing the essence of, or vanishing completely.

Vanished objects cannot be recovered, just as vanished body parts or humans cannot be recovered and while the vanishing spell "Evansco" cannot be performed on a human being at all, the result of this spell has been known to occur accidentally, such as in 1547 and the case of Wilbert Dukeman. Who is Wilbert Dukeman, I hear you ask?

Exactly.

The next biggest risk is losing your mind, particularly in full transfigurations and transfigurations of the head, because these affect the brain, and instances have happened in the past where a witch or wizard not only transfigured their body, but also their mind into that of an animal, or instead of their body, they transfigured their minds.

The final risk is getting stuck, again this is particularly a problem in transfigurations of the head and neck, or internal organs, there have been many unfortunate circumstances where people wishing to breath underwater have performed unsuccessful partial transfigurations of the head, neck and respiratory system into that of an aquatic species and gotten stuck, similar to the case of Godric Gryffindor, who, it is rumored, is the Giant Squid in the black lake." Sirius finished reading his essay and sat it on the desk in front of him.

"But you didn't have any books?" Remus wondered, eyes wide at the quality of what was apparently not total bullshit like he first presumed, except the rubbish about Gryffindor and the bloke with the vanishing spell.

"I do read Remus, how did you think I was near top of the year?"

"Miracle," Remus replied bluntly, Sirius sighed, "I'll finish this tomorrow, I'm going back to the common room."

Remus grumbled and packed up his own things. Following the unusually quiet boy back to Gryffindor tower.

James was glaring at them when they arrived, more directed at Sirius.

"Cutting it close, aren't you Black?" He taunted, looking at the clock, which had just struck eight.

"Shut it, Potter," Was Sirius' dull reply, James sneered at him and turned back to Peter. Sirius looked at them for a moment before heading up to the dorms. Remus looked between the boys on the couch and the dorm steps, and having enough of Sirius' moodiness for today Remus pulled his books out at a table at the back of the room and set out to finish his own essay.

* * *

"Golpalott's Third Law, anyone?" Slughorn asked from the front of the classroom, Remus had heard of it, something to do with antidotes, but didn't understand it and so didn't raise his hand. Slughorn looked disappointed but didn't comment.

"Golpalott's law states that a blended poison cannot be cured by a blended antidote, that's to say a mix of poisons needs to have it's own, unique antidote brewed, you can't just mix the antidotes, so here are some poisons, come and pick three each, they're all different, whichever ones you like, they're all unmarked, don't drink them, please."

The class had eleven students in it, Remus, Sirius, James and Lily Evans and Alice Peverell were the only Gryffindors, Snape, Mulciber and Donna Easton were the Slytherins and Rose Perkins, Benji Fenwick and Gaspard Shingleton were the resident Ravenclaws, and the eleven students moved forwards to collect some vials.

"No pairs," Slughorn called out.

Remus made to grab three vials but Sirius stopped him.

"That one is silver based," He whispered quietly, grabbing three for himself. Remus looked at the flask and indeed it looked like molten silver. So he reached out and picked up a clear poison, a gluggly brown thing and a light blue one. Sirius had already combined his potions and was writing out a list of ingredients when Remus reached the table.

"You understand Golpalott's Third Law?" Remus asked incredulously. Sirius looked angry as he put his quill down and faced his friend.

"I'm not stupid," Sirius said heatedly, "Why do you think I'm stupid?"

Remus replied with a look, not really knowing what to say. Frustrated, Sirius turned back to his work.

"Will you help me, Sirius?" Remus asked him. Sirius sighed.

"Fine," He poured Remus' three poisons into the cauldron. "All it means is that once they're mixed, they're like a completely new poison, you need to make a completely new antidote. So see the color? That red is because Bloodroot is the main ingredient in this poison, so you'll need to use the Nightshade and Silverweed as a base ingredient. You keep counteracting the ingredients until you get water."

"Okay," Remus picked up some knotgrass and dipped it in the cauldron. It began smoking, so he hurriedly pulled the grass away.

"You have no idea what your doing, do you?" Sirius asked then, Remus shook his head. Sirius pulled Advanced Potion Making towards himself and opened it to a page listing ingredients and their effects.

"See the silver smoke?" He pointed to the effect in the table. "That could be Syrup of Helbore, liongrass or fluxweed, but fluxweed becomes volatile when mixed with bloodrood, and liongrass is a healing ingredient, so it will be the Syrup of Helbore-"

"Thanks Sirius," Remus said, "I understand now."

Sirius didn't reply, just turned back to his work.

"You've just never tried really hard, I never said you were stupid." Remus pushed, Sirius turned to face him again.

"I know, I just think people see me as the ditsy one. I don't like that."

Remus just nodded and the two boys went back to their potions. Sirius doing infinitely better than Remus himself and the majority of the class. But Sirius was not awarded points at all, and was leveled with a glare as Slughorn deemed his antidote 'Passable.' Snape turned around when he was awarded twenty points for his pawn potion to give Sirius a _look, _Sirius squeezed his eyes shut and with the will of a thousand men ignored the other teenager. Remus averted his eyes from Snape completely.

After that Sirius quickly packed up and left the room with a quiet wave to Remus.

"He's really sorry, James," Remus said to the messy haired boy on the way out of the class. "And he's not even complaining about the punishment. You can't stay mad forever."

"It's not just him, its you!" James cried as he turned around, arms flung up. Their entire potions class (as small as it was) stopped and gave him a funny look. "He betrayed all of us, Remus, we could have all been found out here, not just you, yes you have your furry little problem and may I remind you exactly what we _did_ to help you with it? You treat it like it wasn't a life changing thing!"

Remus shook his head sadly, "I know that James, and I appreciate it but-"

"No buts," James screamed in his face. "I'm DONE, with him and you, you selfish PRICKS!"

Remus looked at the boy wide eyed, and hit him. Hard. In the _face._

"REMUS!"

Remus turned at the sound of the high pitched voice.

"Lily I-"

"Evans, bugger off-"

Everyone stopped, like they were on pause. James never said 'bugger off' to Evans, never, ever, ever, never. Things like 'Your smile is like _expelliarmus,_ simple but disarming'; 'my love for you burns like a dying phoenix'; 'you can have the portkey to my heart' and, Remus' personal favorite; 'Girls call me _aguamenti,_ when they see me, they get wet'.

But 'Bugger off?'

It was like watching things in slow motion, Lily looked utterly shocked and James ignored her in favor of glaring death at Remus, who's hand hurt From punching James' thick head. Somewhere in the room, Remus was s distantly aware of Slughorn talking and who he assumed was Snape snickering under his breath.

James pulled his wand, Remus finally registered the danger and jumped back a step, still the stinging hex connected and Remus yelped - rather loudly, then Sirius thundered around the corner and shot a _stupefy_ curse at James.

Lily blocked it, still James paid her no mind, instead he decided to yell at Sirius.

"You bloody MONGREL!" He screamed, Sirius growled and the two men met fist first. The loud crack of someone's jaw breaking knocked Lily into action, she sent at least fifty stinging hexes, one after the other at the fighting men until they broke apart.

Neither looked good when they faced her, Sirius was holding his jaw and James was sporting a bloody nose, Sirius right eye was rapidly blackening and if you looked close enough at the blood pouring out of James' nose you could see his lip was badly split.

After the stinging hexes came a second barrage of _Epskiy _healing spells and Lily stood before them with her hands on her hips.

"Get over it." she said sternly, "Obviously, you four have had some kind of utterly ridiculous lover's spat, and I know it was because Sirius did something very stupid and Remus sided with him and that pissed James off and Peter's just going with it, you're all stupid, get the hell over it and move the _fuck_ on!"

Lily brandished her wand at them again, then turned and ordered everyone to class.

James stood first and offered his hand to Padfoot.

"She's right," He said, "You're stupid, Pads."

Sirius didn't look impressed but took his hand anyway and stood, helping Remus and the four boys walked to their next class in silence.

Slughorn and their potions class were left starring at the door they had left through, utterly shocked.


	4. The Train to Summer

Sirius and James were not best of friends straight away. It wasn't magic, just like that. Remus thought the only reason James even tolerated them was because Lily told him to. Of course, her quick fix of 'just get over it' might not work as well as she hoped and her reasoning of 'Sirius is stupid' was making things, perhaps worse, for the boy.

Remus was torn. James _was_ right, Sirius not only endangered Remus' life, but Severus' life and risked the freedom of himself, Peter and James too. Four years was a long time to spend in the wizard prison and Remus wished that on no one, especially since they only did it to help him. Remus should be more grateful for that, should have told them not to do it, but Sirius was stupid and Remus was selfish.

Sirius wasn't sleeping, and Remus had a sneaking suspicion the large wound in his side was not healing fast, if at all, his skin was sickly and he had large shadows under his eyes, as well as that, his personality was a little bit dead. He drifted between classes, doing brilliantly with no recognition or praise from his grudgeful teachers - McGonagall in particular was bad - the Slytherins were tormenting him in the halls and he wouldn't fight back and he was not only in the common room by 8 o'clock each night, but in bed by eight o'clock each night.

Remus and James' friendship healed though, and James, Remus and Peter spent an awful lot of time with Lily now, she tolerated them, at least, and she was refreshing, after spending all his time with the brooding Sirius.

* * *

"It couldn't have been that bad, James." Lily was sitting with the group of boys in the library, it was five to eight and Sirius had just left his table in the corner to head to bed. "Won't you tell me what happened?"

"It's complicated, but the gist of it is, he nearly killed Remus and got the rest of us arrested because he couldn't keep his big mouth shut."

"But he didn't did he?" She reasoned, "And he's having a rough time of it, I've had to rescue him from the sixth year Slytherin boys _twice."_

James shook his shaggy head. "That's just because hes incompetent."

"I miss him," Remus said unhelpfully, Lily gave him a bright smile. "Sure he messed up, big, but second chances and all that?"

"Can we tell her?" James asked him. Remus looked between Lily, Peter and James, and shook his head.

"She doesn't need to know." He decided. "Sorry Lily, at least not right now."

"It's alright," She patted James on the shoulder, who was still oblivious to her light flirting. "I'm off then, all _my _homework's finished, and if you're not going to forgive Sirius right away then at least think of a way he can make it up to you, he looks wretched."

James nodded glumly to her as she left.

"Silver lining," Peter supplied, "She's hot for you now, Potter, must have been that fight."

James humpfed. "She'll never be into me," He stretched and stood. "This essay's doing my head in, fancy some exploding snap in the common room?"

Peter stood straight away, as did Remus.

"Does this mean you'll give up on the Lily front?" He asked.

"I dunno Moony, she's actually being near me now, maybe we should just be friends and I'll get some loving elsewhere."

"Like a Hooker?"

"PETER!"

"It's what Sirius would have said."

"I miss him a little." James admitted. "I swear I haven't laughed since the Snape Incident."

Peter nodded his agreement. "But it's the Snape Attack." He corrected, while Remus and James rolled their eyes.

"That's why I forgave him, James, he'll never do something so stupid again, never ever betray us."

James considered it.

"Okay, let him come back, but I'll never trust him the same."

That was a lie. It took a week for James to pull his big head in and stop making nasty undertone jabs at Sirius' intelligence and moral code and another week for the little group to get back to normal. Before any of the sixth years knew it, it was summer.

"Wheres my sock?" James was under Remus' bed pulling out a years worth of chocolate wrappers, which Remus was vanishing, embarrassed, before the other boy's clicked and started on the Chocoholic-by-day Doggy-by-night thing again. "My sooooooock!" James whined, looking at Sirius and Remus pleading. Sirius Rolled his eyes.

_"Accio_ James' sock." The seventeen year old boy caught the flying sock and threw it to James, who looked a bit sheepish at forgetting about magic and stuffed his foot in the garment. "It better have been clean, your foot odor is as bad as Pete's morning breath." Remus added, wiping his hand on his robes.

"Where is Peter?" Remus asked, noticing once again the boy was missing.

"With the lady friend." Sirius told him.

"He's not seeing anyone Sirius!" James argued.

"He has to be, he's been disappearing all the time! Weekends, weeknights, classes." Sirius exclaimed and James shook his head.

"He might have a boyfriend?" Remus supplied, giving the boys a whole new angle to their ongoing theory of 'Where's Pete disappearing to?'

"He'd tell us." James insisted, using his wand to blast the chocolate wrappers out from under Remus' bed.

"Maybe it's a really kinky thing hes got going on." Sirius supplied, "It's always the quiet ones."

"Or he's sleeping with Snape!"

"Yuck!"

"Yuck!"

"Yuck!"

"Yuck!"

Remus looked at them worried, they were facing each other screaming yuck across the room with wild hand gestures. He finished vanishing his chocolate wrappers and slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Come on or we'll miss the train." Remus grabbed his trunk hoisting it towards the door and down the stairs. Idiot One and Idiot Two were closely following him.

The boys piled into a carriage and shut the door with a light snap, Remus was pinning his prefects badge onto his neat robes while Sirius mocked him for it.

"Hey Sirius, you know you finished Second in the year right?" James said, stopping Sirius pompous mime of Remus being 'Prefectly'.

"So?" Sirius asked, "I had all the teachers on my ass all year, not like I could do bad in their class.

"Slughorn's such an ass," Remus said.

"Such an ass," James agreed, he slung an arm around Padfoot. "At least Minnie Mouse has let up a bit."

"Yeah."

"You might even get head boy." James added, Sirius gave him a look.

"Fuck no!" Sirius shoved James off him, not unkindly and gave them both very serious looks. "Evans will get head girl, she was first, and Remus or James will get head boy. I might have had a chance, but not with The Snape Incident."

"Fair point," James said, "I kind of hope I get it. It might just be the responsible cherry on the grown up cake I need to con Lily to date me."

Remus shook his head, "There's nothing responsible or grown up about either of you."

"And we'll have beautiful little red-haired children," James was saying, "And a cute house in Godric's Hollow, with a white picket fence and pretty garden for our pet dogs." James gave the werewolf and the Animagus a shit-eating grin and the two 'dogs' growled.

"You know what I feel like Moony?" Sirius asked.

"Hmmm?"

"Venison."

"You're _so _funny." James said sarcastically as he pushed the carriage door open and the boys piled onto the platform.

"LILY!" James called and waved at the girl, she rolled her eyes but marched over anyway.

"James, Remus, Black."

"Did you want a hand with your trunk, Lily flower? I'll take it for you until after the prefect meeting if you'd like."

She looked annoyed and shocked and torn.

"Alice has Benjy's trunk as well, would you mind?" He beamed at her, and took the heavy trunk in his other hand. "Thanks James."

Behind the two lovebirds, Sirius ans Remus were hyperbolizing the scene before them, Sirius doting on Remus with conjured flowers and both their trunks stacked precariously while Remus giggled and shined his own prefect badge.

Lily spotted them and glared, and James turned to glare at his friends who both mimed cracking a whip and made the sound 'whit-cha'.

"Stuff it." James said to his grinning friends, somehow managing both trunks as he climbed onto the train. Remus pulled a white handkerchief out of his pocked and waved to Sirius with it as he followed James, levitating the two heavy trunks instead of carrying them like James 'Muscles' Potter in front of him.

It was only a short prefect meeting, just to decide on patrols and the fifth year prefects took the first two hours, the sixth years the second two hours and the seventh years the last, with the Head boy and girl going up and down the length of the train on the hour. Remus and Lily were to be the first pair to patrol of the sixth years, and headed back to the Marauder's compartment together.

Lily was secretly dreading seeing James again. She didn't hate him, she never hated him, he was just annoying but seeing him fight with Sirius like that, she had to help him, and since that day whenever he called her Lily Flower, she blushed.

Stupid Potter.

Remus was quite silent, and they found the boys compartment in no time, Peter was with the other two and Lily thanked James as she grabbed her trunk and went to find Alice and Benjy.

Alice was a kind, loud, round faced girl with quite long hair, Benjy was a very tall Ravenclaw prefect, who was quite shy but wicked. Disgusting, funny, depends on your tastes.

The were only a few compartments down for the other boys and Lily thankfully let Benjy put her trunk in the luggage rack and flopped onto the lounge.

"You two aren't patrolling at the same time again are you?" Alice asked, "At Christmas I had to sit with Paula and Elizabeth."

"Ew." Benjy said dryly, Alice nodded. "They talked about nothing but Sirius and James the _whole_ time, how handsome they were, how smart they were, how muscly they were."

Benjy sat up a little straighter and flexed his arm.

"Stop it."

"Sorry." He smiled his goofy smile at her. "They have a point, they are quite attractive. Sirius, well, I'd tap that."

"Benjy!" Lily said, "Shut up, you remember him when we started?" She asked Alice, who nodded.

"Couldn't get him to string a sentence together he was so nervous."

"My English wasn't very good!"

"No! If we brought any other person in here, we wouldn't hear a word from you, let alone _disgusting_ ones."

"I save the best of myself for you my dears."

"Oh boy," Alice said dryly. Benjy shoved her a little.

"You love me," He stated with a big smile. They agreed, not a clue why.

"Last year next year," Alice said with a worried look. Benjy nodded glumly and Lily smiled.

"I can't wait," She said, "Petunia went and got a Clerical Job_."_ Alice snorted.

"She wasn't plain enough?" Benjy asked. Lily giggled.

"Apparently she's got herself a new squeeze too," Lily pause, "Vernon Dursley, hes like a _whale_ and has this ridiculous moustache." The others laughed at Petunia's expense, but Lily quieted them. "I shouldn't laugh at her," Benjy was still laughing at Petuina and Lily couldn't stop her smile, shaking her head.

"Anyway, I told them I was going to be a Healer, which is like a doctor, and Mum and Dad made all this fuss and Petunia looked so sour, I showed them the brochures and everything, god shes a sour puss. I'm just so excited about growing up, and having kids and getting married-"

"To Potter..." Benjy casually supplied, Lily hit him but her blush gave her away. "You're both coming over this Summer too."

"Aw."

"Benjy!"

"I don't like muggles." he announced, looking like a kicked puppy. "They have those weird _lumos_ balls with the switches and things that beep and flash when you're sleeping and cars, Melrin I hate cars, and they laugh at weird things."

"We're taking you to the cinema," Lily told him, "and to see some other things around town and it'll be great fun, then we can go back to your pureblood castle for a while and to Alice's place.

Alice smiled at them.

"I still don't like muggles," He said, "And muggles don't like me."

"You've only met _my_ family!"

"And that went so well!"

"That _was_ Petunia's fault," Alice supplied, "She is a bit of a sour puss."

"You should have taken muggle studies with Alice, then you wouldn't miss out so much."

"Lily, the Muggle world will never be a part of the Wizarding World."

"But-"

Alice Peverell tuned out her as-usual bickering friends and pulled out _Enchantment in Baking _and began to read.


	5. Red Sky

Lily waited at the door excitedly for Benjy and Alice. There was a crack and Lily jumped as Benjy appeared on her parent's front lawn.

"I got my License!" he exclaimed, Lily came out to him and frantically looked around for any sign of the neighbors noticing, there was only one, Petunia.

"Jesus Christ! What was that?"

"Hello Petunia!" Benjy waved to the girl charmingly as he made his way into the house.

"BENJY!" Lily cried, running over to the boy. "You just apparated into a muggle street in broad daylight!"

"Oh..." He paused for a minute, "Sorry?"

She rolled her eyes as a second crack alerted her to her other pureblood friend's arrival.

"Oh, that's great, this one's in the living room! No manners, FREAKS!" Petunia made her way back to her room. Benjy pulled a face behind her back.

"Sorry!" Alice called. "Destination, Determination, Deliberation!"

Lily rolled her eyes at her two young friends, She turned seventeen on the 30th of January, and already had her apparation licence, but Alice only turned seventeen last week and Benjy's birthday was at the start of June.

"Come on, we're catching the bus."

"Aw no! I hate muggles!" The three friends left the large house with the neat garden and strolled up the street towards the bus stop. When Lily paid the driver for their tickets, Benjy exclaimed over the notes, causing Alice to quickly explain 'He's foreign.'

The trio got off the bus around five in Leicester Square, it was just getting dark and people flooded the street.

"There, come on," Lily said, pointing out the cinema, the trio began to move through the crowd, the girls chatting excitedly about which movie they would see and Benjy walking behind them complaining about the muggle clothes (which he wore all the time, the tosser.)

"Benjy," Alice called, the girls smiled at him and he ran after them.

"You guys are the best," Benjy said, in a rare moment of sobriety, then he smiled. "Let the torture begin."

The trio turned as they heard a scream, and there was a bang and more screaming, Benjy stood in front of the girls, eyes peeled for danger, while Lily and Alice, Gryffindors who would not be mere spectators ran up either side of him.

"What-?" Benjy began, but the street shook, sending the muggles running and there was a horrible bang as part of the square was blown apart. "RUN!" Benjy turned and grabbed each girls hand, running away from the commotion, they followed the stream of muggles into the nearest shop, Lily didn't even notice what it sold, and fire and screaming filled the street.

"They're wizards!" Benjy said, "Look!"

Indeed there were men in wizards robes, with pointy hoods and skull masks, wands raised, killing and basting away the muggles in their path. Police had arrived but were no match.

"We need aurors." Alice said, desperate.

"Stay here, I'm going to help." Bejy pushed through the crowd and out the door.

"Hey!" Alice stood, Lily behind her and pushed through the crowd.

"Kid, run, get back!"

Benjy ignored the policemen and fired red sparks into the air, again and again until the whole square was red, but this got the attention of the men in black cloaks and a group broke off and advanced towards them.

"The screaming," Alice said, her expression was distressed and Lily too was bothered by the near constant screams of fear, angst and pain.

"BENJY RUN YOU IDIOT!" Lily screamed to her friend, who was facing the oncoming Death Eaters.

Lights flashed as spells were fired, there were too many sickly green spells nearly hitting Benjy for Lily's taste and Alice was standing behind her, obviously racking up the courage to dive into battle. Benjy persisted, and while well-read Ravenclaw was holding his own against the two men, Lily's decision was made for her when another two ran towards the young wizard and his opponents.

"The sparks, should, alert aurors." Benjy panted. "You take Alice, you run."

"SHUT UP!" Lily yelled back, firing stunning spells at the advancing men. "I'm not going anywhere, Ben."

The other two reached the teenagers as Alice came up to them and the three kids managed to hold them back until Aurors showed up. The Auror's killed the robed men straight away. Their crimson cloaks surged forward from the apparation point and mixed with the black.

"Good Job kids, get to safety!" One called over his shoulder. But before they could more dark cloaked figures came forward, and one who was not wearing a hood and mask.

He was pale, but handsome with thick, dark brown hair, his eyes were an unnerving shade of red. "The hell are you lot doing?" He asked the cloaked men, one pointed towards the three teenagers. "They're kids!" The unnerving man hissed at his followers. "_Avada Kedavera!"_

A green light came towards them, Lily threw up a shield but Benjy pulled them down.

"You can't block the green ones," He explained, the robed men advanced, Alice was fighting one and Benjy the other, leaving Lily to face off the leader.

"Girl!" The man hissed, "You're going to tell them the time for filthy mudbloods is at an end, and Lord Voldemort is here to return the Wizarding World to Salazar Slytherin's noble standards!"

Lily ignored his words and sent a stunner at him. He responded with more curses than she could block and her arm ended up badly burned. Lily cried out, and was hit with a hex that blasted her back.

"_Avadra Kedava!_" he yelled again, and Lily rolled out of the way, she took a breath and ignored the pain in her arm, grabbing Alice and Benjy and they ran away.

"Over there!" Alice pulled them towards the Aurours, where Ministry employees and healers were beginning to apparate.

Lily and Alice ran towards them, Benjy behind them and the girls reached the crowd of wizards safely.

"Where's Ben?" Alice looked over her shoulder as a healer led them back to the apparation point.

"BEN!" Lily called, the healer pulled them further into the crowd.

"BEN! Get OFF!" Alice shoved the healer and ran back towards the battle, the men in the black cloaks were retreating slowly, steadily destroyng anything they could reach. The whole Square was on fire, rubble spewed across the streets and muggles were still screaming. The red sky was clear now.

"Lily!" Lily whipped her head around to see Alice kneeling on the ground, Benjy's head in her lap. His black eyes were open.

"No," Lily ran to her friends, friend, and grabbed the body's still warm hand. "No, no, no," Lily grabbed his shoulders and shook.

"Wake up, Benjy please, wake up!"

"Lily, stop!" Alice gently pushed her away and she sat back and stared at him.

"There's nothing, no blood, hes okay..."

"Lily, he's gone." Alice said softly. Around them the Minisrty of Magic were clearing up, making excuses and the two girls were oblivious, kneeling besides their dead friend. They didn't even notice the frightening snake and skull marking the sky.

Alice was crying, but Lily refused to believe it, she stood and yelled for a healer, for help.

A man in a green robe ran over straight away, his face fell when he saw the boy's body.

"Oh, I'm sorry ladies," The healer flicked his wand and a long black bag was conjured, he gently lifted Benjy's body off of Alice and placed it in the bag.

"No, NO!" Lily yanked the mans arm away from the body. "He needs help, he's not dead, he's fine, look! _Ennervate! ENNERVATE!" _

"Stop, young lady!" The healer grabbed her and held her still, putting his face in her own. "He was killed by the killing curse. No damage, no trace, but he is dead."

Lily took a deep breath and shook her head, but the tears fell.

"I'll send the body to St. Mungo's Morgue with the others. You two need to go and see an Auror about your statement. And miss you need to go to St. Mungo's too, that burn is nasty."

* * *

**_RED SKY BATTLE; DECLARATION OF WAR_**

_Benjy Fenwick, Lily Evans and Alice Peverell are the heroes of this battle, the only wizards in Leicester Square on the night of the 23rd August, they not only fought the rising Dark Lord but sent the sparks up that made the sky go red that alerted aurors._

_There has been worried whispers for some time now about a rising dark lord, people sporting a black tattoo called the Dark Mark have now officially been identified as Dark Wizards and Supporters of this Dark Lord. _

_The skull and snake symbol was left floating over the Square last night, turning the sky green, is this dark mark, but accounts say it was the red sky that was more striking, giving wizards hope and muggles enough pause to move away from the site._

_This attack on the muggles has officially declared war between this new Dark Lord and the British Ministry of Magic, civilians are advised not to panic, ward your homes, practice identification techniques and be selective about information sent by owl post._

_Hogwarts will remain open and safe, and parents are strongly advised to let students return. Professor and Light Wizard Albus Dumbeldore has rallied his own vigilante group 'the Order of the Phoenix,' for fighting volunteers not trained as Aurors, and more importantly, to rally hope, faith and protection in these dark times._

_194 muggles were tragically killed in last nights attack and a further 300 injured. The only wizarding casualty was 17 year old Benjy Fenwick, a Hogwarts student who bravely rushed to the aid of the confused muggle policemen and paramedics, (Aurors and Medi-Wizards.) Benjy was the one to send up the sparks that turned the sky red, and for his resourcefulness, quick thinking and bravery has been awarded an Order of Merlin, Second Class to honour his sacrifice._

_The Dark Lord in question behind this attack can only be identified as 'The Dark Lord' by captured supporters, but Miss Lily Evans said this in her statement;_

_"He talks a lot, some cock and bull rubbish about exterminating muggle-borns, but he couldn't kill me could he? No. Said his name was Lord Voldemort, he wasn't that scary, just a bit ridiculous."_

_Story continues on page 7-9, information about ministry approved safety wards on page 18 and ID Techniques and reasons for their use on page 21. This reporter wishes to assure the population that this Dark Lord is nothing to be worried about, but safety is paramount during any Dark Lord's reign. _

* * *

_Lily,_

_Are you alright? I've heard about Ben, I'm so sorry, I can't believe he's gone. _

_You did so well Lily Flower, totally kick ass in the paper and I'm so happy you and Alice are alright. Aurors will bring this prick down soon, don't worry, Benjy didn't die for nothing, he saved lives with his quick thinking. Ravenclaw all the way there._

_If you need anything, I'm here for you, as a friend. _

_Stay safe Lily, _

_Love James._

Lily's hands had shook as she read his letter, and she kept it in her pocket always, always. During Benjy's funeral she had it grasped in her had like a lifeline. She never wrote James back, and she thought maybe she should have but she couldn't. Whenever she tried she shook and cried and fell asleep. So she would just wait until September first to see him.


	6. Lily Flower

James was looking for Lily. The platform was packed, and his parents insisted on apparating directly onto the platform so he was already in his school robes, the gold and red head boy badge pinned to his chest.

He saw red hair.

"Lily!" James ran towards the red head girl who turned and looked at him with an unreadable expression, then, much to his shock, flew into his arms.

"Shhhh, it's alright," James said soothingly, "Everything's okay, you did so well Lily Flower."

He caught Sirius' eye over her shoulder, the taller boy levitating James', Lily's and his own trunk and taking them onto the train. James grabbed his clean hanky out of his trouser pocket and gave it to her, she accepted it gratefully and wiped her face.

"I'm sorry," She said, "Thank you for the letter, it helped a lot."

James smiled at her, "You know you're little sassy newspaper article has you down to be the next leader of the light?"

She pulled a face, indicating the idea was distasteful. "I was near useless, Benjy was the real hero."

"If you were near useless, I was super useless." Alice said coming up to the pair. "Seems like all my Gryffindor courage is reserved for the quiddich pitch."

"You're an excellent Seeker, Alice," James said. Lily rolled her eyes and desperately tried to shut them up.

"I want to become an Auror," Alice announced, dragging her trunk onto the train, Lily darted forwards to help her then remembered her own trunk and whipped her head around to look for it.

"Sirius took ours," James told her. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why an Auror?" Lily asked, "That was fucking terrifying."

"That's why, I have to be of more use than I was."

"You held off three Death Eaters!" James said.

"What?"

"Death Eaters," Alice said again, "it's what those robes blokes called themselves."

"Doesn't matter. I'm going to become an Auror."

"Me too."

Sirius Black's head was poking out of his compartment, he moved to let the others in.

"I've always wanted to be an Auror, and I need something to get me out of the Potter's house."

"You live at the Potters?" Alice asked; Sirius actually blushed a bit.

"His family are a lot of large, shiny, baboon's arses."

"Lovely."

"I was going to," James said, "But I think I'm going to go straight into the Order of The Pheonix. I'll be more use there, and become an Auror afterwards."

"The what?" Alice and Lily both asked.

"Dumbledore's army," Sirius added. "Volunteers, no training. I'd rather be a proper Auror then join. Besides there's no way they'll let school kids join."

"My parents are in it, they're the, um, benefactors of the endeavor." James said.

"What about you Lil?" Alice asked her red haired friend.

"I'm not so sure I want to be apart of a war, though I'd love to be a healer."

"You'll see the worst of it, as a healer."

"Yeah, St. Mungo's was a mad house after the attack." Lily said lifting her still bandaged arm. James tenderly kissed her hand.

"There you are!" Remus almost fell into the compartment, looking like he was still asleep but no one told him.

Sirius valiantly put the other boys trunk in the luggage rack and Remus flopped into a seat.

"Rough night Remy?" Alice asked with a giggle.

"Full moon," Remus moaned, then sat bolt upright.

The three Marauders present all wore the same shock/horror expressions while Lily and Alice shared a glance.

"The full moon?" Alice asked. Remus sputtered.

"He um, tried to kill himself?" Sirius supplied unsuelry. "You know what Trelawny said – full moon suicide rates and all that?"

"Really?" Remus yelled at Sirius as James began to laugh.

"We should just tell them," James said. "Remus is a Werewolf."

"What?!"

"No!"

"James!"

"Really?"

Each exclamation was shouted all at once. And the weary looking pureblood and her intrigued friend were staring at the uncomfortable boy.

"I, yes, I'm sorry. I won't hurt you, I just, I'm sorry."

"Remus honey calm down," Lily said, "There's nothing wrong with it, right Alice?"

Alice shook off her pureblood reaction and nodded.

"Yeah, werewolves are highly discriminated against because of unfair and untrue accusations. I'm okay, you're okay? Everyone's just peachy!"

Lily nodded to her still shaken friend and sat opposite Remus.

"So, what's it like?"

"Horrible?" He supplied downtrodden, "I was bitten when I was four because my dad had an outstanding bet with Greyback, and it's painful and scary. I'd rather not talk about this. I'm going to the Prefect cabin."

Remus stood as Peter walked in.

"Bye Remus!" Peter called waving; he lowered his hand quickly and grabbed his wrist.

"Um, hi!" he said, taking Remus' vacated seat, not looking at Alice or Lily.

"Will Remus be okay?" Alice asked worried. Sirius waved her concern away.

"You guys won't out him will you?" Both girls shook their heads.

"Then he'll be fine, he's just jumpy around the topic and new people. We had to take him to the Hospital Wing second year for a calming draught when we confronted him about it. Silly Remus."

Just then the train started moving, meaning Lily and James needed to fulfil their prefect duties so they too left the compartment.

* * *

It was a dull train ride, Remus didn't come back and Sirius was staring at Alice, who was staring out the window, while Pete kept trying to make conversation.

"I'm going to look for the lady with the trolley." Pete announced before standing and darting out the door. It slammed shut behind him.

"So, you're doing Herbology, DADA, Potions, Transfiguration and Charms this year?" Sirius asked her, Alice turned around, ran a hand through her hair and twisted it over her shoulder in one thick dark strand.

"Yeah," She answered. "I do Muggle studies too." Sirius smiled.

"I love Muggle things." He told her, "Their pictures don't move, its wonderful."

"I like the moving pictures," Alice said.

"I'm biased, Mum got a portrait of herself painted and hung in the wall, the bloody thing screams at me every time I walk past. Well not since I moved out, but it still causes nightmares."

Alice laughed, "You moved out of home?"

"You know the men in the black robes?" Sirius asked, Alice nodded. "My family, well at least they think they've got the right idea."

"That'd be horrible," Alice pulled a face. "Mine are a little like that, were very hesitant when they met Lil, but they got over it."

"I didn't think the Peverell's were blood pureists."

"No," Alice said, "Just set in the old ways, I have to keep my car magazines hidden under my bed like porn or my Gran would have some sort of fatal shock related trauma."

Sirius laughed, "I love the Vantage," He said, "Its gorgeous."

"Nuh uh," Alice playfully punched his arm, "Countach, hands down."

Sirius shook his head, Alice moved to sit next to him.

"It's way cooler, and in white," She kissed her fingers like a chef.

"I'm a bigger fan of motorbikes, I have one."

"Really!"

"Yeah, I charmed it to fly."

"Oh my god!"

The conversation continued much the same way before excitedly turning to Quiddich before Pete came back, shortly followed by Lily and James.

"You guys getting along?" Lily asked with a smile, the two had been chatting in the corner for almost the whole trip, they both turned to the red head, Alice with a slight blush and Sirius with a huge grin.

"Peverell, fancy dinner sometime? Maybe Lunch in Hogsmeade if you'd prefer?"

Alice looked shocked but she smiled and nodded. "I'd like that."

"See James, that's how its done!"

"HEY!" James elbowed Sirius, hard, and Sirius pushed him back until Pete had to remove himself from that side of the room as the boys began a testosterone fueled shoving contest.

"They're showing off for you you know," Pete was telling the two mildly amused ladies, "I read a book about monkeys, and they make lots of noise and act like boneheads to impress the ladies." Peter gave his bone headed, loud friends a significant look, which set the girls off in fits of giggles.

The train ride continued much the same, and the group happily piled into a carriage and went to the school where they took their seats next to the nervous wreck named Remus Lupin.

"Relax," Alice told him. "We're not going to tell anyone Remy and we don't hate you."

Remus gave her a halfhearted smile.

"Thanks Alice, Lily."

* * *

Alice and Sirius's Hogsmede date happened on the 26th of Novemeber, Peter had dissapeared with his alleged Kinky Lady Friend, Remus was in the Hospital Wing because of the full moon and James and Lily ended up walking into the small village together.

"So Evans, you have plans for Christmas?" James stuffed his hands in his pockets and faced the rugged up red-head. Lily was pulling her gloves on when she answered him.

"No, just going home," She offered him a smile. "My sister got engage recently so SHIT!"

"What, are you alright?"

Lily shook her hand with a glare at her glove.

"It's wet inside," She explained. James pulled a face.

"Yuck. Here, have mine," He pulled her hand towards his and slipped it inside his own woolen glove, which still hugged his own hand, then shoved both their hands in his pocket. Lily laughed at him, and his heart warmed when she left her hand there.

Lily stuffed the glove in her jacket pocket, and continued her former train of thought.

"Petunia got engaged to this obese, loudmouth muggle with this walrus mustache." Lily shook her head. "So I'll be spending my christmas with it."

"Yuck." James said. "I'll be at home with Sirius and the rents." He told her, "no walrus mustaches; though my father is sporting a hideous one right now." James shook his head this time, Lily was laughing. "So where to Lily Flower?"

Lily smiled shyly at the nickname, and shrugged.

"Bookshop, tea, honeydukes."

"Quiddich and Zonkos?"

She gave him a look.

"Please?"

She smiled and poked her tongue out at him.

"Yes!" James exclaimed, doing a happy dance and dragging Lily along with him on his little celebratory spasm. She squealed and pulled back, trying to stop herself being thrown around.

"I like being friends with you Potter," Lily said, "You're so much better when you're not a prat."

James gave her a charming, verging on ridiculous smile. "Thanks Lily Flower," He said. "It is nice being friends."

Lily had a funny look in her eye, then she used their joined hands to pull James close, and, very gently peck him on the cheek. James blushed, Lily blushed, the third year behind them blushed.

"Potter, want to go to Hogsmede with me today? You're so sweet I could sell you at Honeydukes."

James stopped and looked at her.

"Are you serious?" He asked, he was so gobsmacked he dared use that question after years of Marauder Level Conditioning. He still subtly flinched in anticipation of the Sirius pun.

"Yes." She said, smiling. "Told you I'd never go to Hogsmede with you Potter."

James smiled wide, and hugged her.

"You've made me so happy!" he let go just as suddenly and pulled her towards the small town.

They reached the gates when the sky turned green.

"Run," Lily said straight away, yanking him back, but the screams caused James to pause.

"You go back to the castle, I have to help."

"James!" Lily shrieked, she held his hand tighter and followed him into the town. Students were running best they could up to the castle.

"We should get the students out," James was saying, Lily nodded.

"We have to keep this path clear." Lily told him, she raised her wand, firing red sparks into the air, straight away students and Death Eaters - all in black robes surged into the street. James was cutting the Death Eaters down pretty well while Lily was watching the students carefully, least a Death Eater get into the castle. A few seventh years stayed and helped James, Lily and Greta Cachlove, Kathleen Blythe and Henery Chase stopped to help Lily help the injured students and the teachers began running from the castle to the gates.

"STOP!" A huge blue shield divided the seventh years - and some sixth - from the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort came forward. "It has been so long since a proper leader governed this world, and it has been even longer since the threat the muggles pose has been addressed. Mudbloods poison wizarding blood, threaten the noble ways of our ancestors and -"

"SOD OFF!"

Lily laughed as she recognized Sirius' voice ring out over the crowd. James stepped forward during the Dark Lord's pause, and Lily stood right behind him.

"Your views are outdated, sadistic and wrong, your manner is violent and will spill more pure blood than it saves and you will not win this fight, so run, run as far away as you can because no one is scared of your loud words and fancy bangs!"

"James Potter," Voldemort said, surprising the boy, "And Lily Evans." Lily was just as surprised, "Ah yes and Mr. Sirius Black, and Alice Peverell, isn't it? The mudblood and her blood traitor dogs, poster child for the light are we?"

Lily stepped forward then, not seeing the glance James, Alice and Sirius shared.

"Run far, and run fast, Dark Lord." The seventh years behind her cheered as she finished, and James, Alice and Sirius both sent powerful blasting hexes at the shield, which crumbled, blasting hexes smashed the road before the front line of Death Eaters and Voldemort, and Aurors apparated in behind them as the teachers joined their massed seventh years.

The Death Eaters apparated away, leaving the students, teachers and Aurors in the green and red glow from the sky.

* * *

"Where were you anyway?" Lily asked Alice, they were sitting in the Great Hall, with the rest of the School waiting for Dumbeldore to address them. James and Sirius went to find Remus and Peter, well, get Remus from the Hospital wing and find Peter.

"Shrieking shack," Alice said smoothly. Lily frowned at her friend.

"What were you doing there?"

"Shrieking."

"Oh!" Lily blushed and turned away from her grinning friend.

"It was amazing Lil," Alice gushed.

"Please, stop," Lily deadpanned. She was saved by Sirius and James coming in with Remus.

"Shit!" Remus said to them, he turned back to Prongs and Padfoot. "Shit!"

"Don't you swear at us, what happened to your face?"

Indeed Remus was sporting three _large_ if healed over gashes down his face. He waved it off. "Nothing, nothing."

"Attention students!" Dumbledore called them to attention, and the school fell silent. "As many of you are aware, there was another Death Eater attack in the village of Hogsmede this morning, I am delighted to report no one, student or resident alike were severely injured, and no one was killed!" The hall all applauded. "Yes, yes, it's wonderful news, wonderful, in these dark times. Four of our Gryffindor Students are to be commended for their bravery today, Miss Lily Evans, Mr. James Potter, Miss Alice Peverell and Mr. Sirius Black, for personally standing up to Lord Voldemort and ensuring students got to safety."

Again the hall erupted in applause and James and Sirius stood to bow and wave at the crowd.

"Well done, well done. I must warn you though, we are headed for dark times here at Hogwarts, and we must be able to protect ourselves and those around us, know when to run and when to fight, I advise you all to pay utmost attention in class and learn all you can and how to apply that knowledge, inform the school of any suspicious goings on or any worries for the students safety and be sensitive to everyone's situation, be kind and fair and safe. You may all go now!"

There was a deafening scraping of chairs on stone floor as the whole school stood as one and left the hall, each student seemed to be discussing what had just happened and what might happen now.


	7. Chapter 7

_**DIAGON ALLEY ATTACK 31 KILLED**_

_31 innocent wizards and witches were killed Sunday afternoon in a vicious strike by Death Eaters and their leader. You-Know-Who was present at the attack, rallying forces and killing people in cold blood in the street. The Ministry of Magic is strongly advising staying indoors as much as possible, avoiding public places and keeping your head down. _

_Auror Frank Longbottom has provided the Prophet with a statement to civillians._

_"He's dangerous and crazy, but nothing the Aurors can't handle, but be warned, he is rallying troops and may approach you at home, wards, secret keepers and going into hiding are all advised, send your kids to school, they'll be safest there."_

_The attack began at..._

_"_We don't know anyone, sweetheart." James smiled at his mother from his spot at their breakfast bar where the Daily Prophet was resting under James' arms.

"Yeah, lucky." James said. James had his mother's dark, dark brown hair, though her hair was greying now. She had a kind face and eyes the same shape and colour as James'. Her name was Colene Potter. She ruffled his hair and smiled at her son, waving her wand causing pots and pans and food to fly across the kitchen.

"Is Sirius up?" Colene asked James, who shook his head.

"Morning dear," A tall man with the same face and hair - only his was black, blue eyes and flannelette pajamas covered in little fluttering snitches entered the kitchen then, offering coffee to the other two, who both asked for tea, and he pulled out four mugs.

"Morning Stephen, Sirius isn't up yet." Colene said to him, making to grab the fourth cup.

"Snuffles will be down shortly."

"M' names not Snuffles." Sirius grumbled as he entered the kitchen. "Thanks Potter Dad." He said grabbing the cup off of Stephen and plonking himself next to James. "Morning Potter Mum."

"Morning dear," Colene said fondly, handing James his tea and sipping her own.

The small family and their 'dog' all looked up shocked when there was a loud knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Stephen huffed, leaving his coffee on the bench and walking down the hall to the heavy wood door. James and Sirius both set down their own cups and followed him.

"Dad?" James looked past his father to the stranger on the doorstep.

"FUCK OFF!"

The stranger, James and Stephen all turned shocked expressions to Sirius, who had his wand pointed at the woman.

"Now, now, Mr. Black," James' blood drained fron his face when he recognised the voice of Voldemort. "That's no way to greet your cousin."

That made the woman in the door Bellatrix Black, Voldemort behind her lowered his hood and straight away Sirius and the two Potter's drew their wands.

"Run Boys," Stephen said, "James, get your mother and RUN!"

Spells came through the door, Colene came into the hall and the family battled the Death Eaters off. It was no use. Five more followed the original two and they were outnumbered.

Sirius ended up being held by his mad cousin, Colene was unconscious and Stephen was held at wand point by two hooded men. James knew his captor had peroxide blonde hair - probably a Malfoy.

"Potter, Potter, Potter and Black." Voldemort said by way of greeting. "Pureblooded, powerful and you're certainly capable of becoming something should you accept my offer to join the Death Eater ranks.

"Go bugger yourself, Tom." Stephen said. "Don't look surprised, I knew you would be behind the theatrical eradicator of Muggles rubbish. And Abraxas, I thought you'd be above following a Half Blood?"

Tom sneered. Leveled his wand at Stephen and whispered something. Stephen stood tall, taller than Voldemort and held his chin up as a green light flashed from the end of Tom's wand and into Stephen's chest.

"NO!" Sirius reacted first, headbutting his cousin and pinching her wand, he was in time to catch the older man's falling body. James managed to break Abraxas Malfoys hold on him and he ran to his mother, grabbing her wand and blasting the closest group of Death Eaters away.

"GET OUT!" James screamed, ruining the hallway with blasting hex after Blasting Hex. Sirius managed to carry Colene away from the fighting and came back without her quickly, he then pulled Stephen's body away while James was still screaming at the Death Eaters. Sirius was back a second later, by James's side as the smoke cleared.

"Silly boy, join me and you live, your mother lives, maybe even the pretty mudblood can live too?"

"I'll _never_ join you, you're a coward and a murderer!"

A baby-voiced cackle filled the room then, they could see Bellatrix's hair outlined in the smoke as the other dark figures retreated.

"Poor ickle Potter, poor ickle Sirius, what to do now big bad daddy's dead?

"SHUT UP BITCH!" Sirius screamed, sending a hex through the smoke but Bellatrix was already gone.

"Oh My God." James said, he stumbled and fell against the wall. "I...they...what?"

"Breathe, Jamie." Sirius said, his own head was in his hands, he slid down the wall next to James.

"Dad?" James asked, Sirius shook his head.

"G-gone." James was silent but tears fell. Sirius too was sobbing into his hands.

James took a few deep breaths. Sirius lifted his head, his face was dirty, cheeks were wet and there was dried blood in his hair.

"Come on, Jamie." Sirius stood and helped his friend to his feet, James went into the back room where his mother was sitting at the table. Stephen's eyes were still open, and Colene had her hand in his and her head on his chest, she was crying.

"Mum," James stepped forwards, hugging her to him, she wailed into his shoulder and Sirius silently went to Stephen's head and gently shut his eyes.

"I've, I've, I've called the Ministry," Colene said. "You boys, you did well, Sirius come here."

Sirius felt like a little kid whenever he hugged Colene, and he may not be her son, but god damn it she was a better mother than Walburga had ever been.

* * *

"James?" James smiled at Lily and took her hand in his.

"I missed you." James told her, He hadn't seen her since last term, the plans for her to meet his family were dashed by the attack to his parents. His mother had fallen ill shortly after the funeral. At first it was dismissed by the healers as stress on the body, but it was Dragon Pox and it was not looking good.

"You alright?" Lily asked him, he just nodded.

"Rough Christmas." James said with a weak smile.

Lily rubbed her thumb over his knuckles and pulled him towards the Hogwarts Express. The platform wasn't as full as usual, even for Christmas and the head boy and girl went to find Sirius.

He was sitting with Alice and Peter in a compartment, none of them were talking. Alice was looking at Sirius with a worried glance and Sirius was looking out the window with a stony expression.

"I'm going to patrol." James announced and hoisted his trunk into the luggage rack and left the compartment. Lily looked between the door and the people inside and announced.

"I'll be right back." her voice was shaking and she only just made it to the bathroom before the tears fell. She angrily wiped her face but it did no good, they continued to fall.

Lily was thrown off of her feet as the train stopped. Her head bashed against the wall with a painful thud and she screamed as the lights went out.

Screaming came from the carriages and Lily looked out the window where the Death Eaters and Dementors were flying around the train.

"Oh _fuck_ this," Lily swore angrily, she kicked open the bathroom door, looking up and down the carriage.

"_Sonurous!"_ Lily said, pointing her wand at her throat then she very clearly said, "Student's calm down, stay in your carriages, those students confident enough to apparate, take as many people as you can to Hogsmede. Alert the teachers. Alert the ministry. Send up red sparks and people will come to help."

Lily removed the spell and was satisfied to hear the screams die down, pops of apparation began and the train shook. More seventh and sixth years ran up the corridor wands drawn.

"SIRIUS! Sirius, what are you doing?"

"Stopping them from coming in, buying time," Sirius shouted back, "The drivers dead, people who won't fight are taking the children back to the castle."

"Good."

Lily took a door and waited for it to open.

"HOLD!" She heard James' voice ring through the train. "THERE'S ABOUT FIFTY MORE KIDS TO EVACUATE THEN WE APPARATE OUT, WAIT FOR MY SIGNAL. IF YOU CAN'T APPARATE OR ARE INJURED GRAB SOMEONE, WATCH EACH OTHERS BACKS."

Lily took a breath and waited in the dark train with her classmates, then the train was bashed in all at once by the advancing Death Eaters. The air went cold and wicked lights flashed outside, then the doors were all ripped off with screaming wind and Death Eaters came in at every entrance.

Shouts rose in the air and the seventh and sixth years were pushed into the corridor, the door between the carriages slammed open and James came in.

"RUN! GO!"

The students began to apparate away, James and Sirius were scanning each compartment and making sure everyone was gone.

"Lily Evans." Lily faced Voldemort with a gasp, he was not on the train but floating in the ruined door. "Mudblood, but you're smart, I'll give you that, join the cause and I'll let you keep your stolen magic."

"Never," Lily said, she fired a stinging hex at him (Which she was pretty sure connected) and apparated to Hogsmede. "JAMES!" Lily called over the crowd, Aurors and Healers and teachers were sorting through the scared and injured students. "JAMES!" Lily cried. But she couldn't find him.

"Miss Evans," Lily screamed as someone grabbed her shoulder.

"Professor!" Lily cried, McGonagall was looking as stern as ever.

"Miss Evans, to the castle, now please."

Students were being herded up to the castle, injured students on conjured stretchers at the front and then healers and students on foot. Lily stumbled towards the castle.

She was going slow, so slow more of the floating stretchers overtook her on the snowy path. Lily stared. there were people on them all, at least twenty. All laying down, their faces and bodies covered with a thin blanket.

Lily stumbled and looked around her, there were at least twenty dead students on stretchers, all under pale green sheets. Lily screamed.

"Lily, its alright, you're safe." Lily fell into James' strong arms and she clung to him.

"James, James."

"I know, its alright, you're safe Lily Flower."

She felt her legs be swept up and she cuddled to his chest and he carried her to the castle.

"Lily, wake up."

Lily was wrapped in a blanket in the Great Hall, students were flooding in and out of the doors, parents and aurors and healers were milling around, people were crying, the house banners were all black.

"Attention, attention!"

A young man in crimson Auror robes was standing out the front next to Dumbledore. He waited while the noise in the hall died down.

"The man calling himself Lord Voldemort has declared war against the Ministry, and the public. We never thought he would attack students like he has tonight and I extend my greatest condolences and regrets to the families of the twenty one children killed tonight, A further 43 were injured, but over 900 students were led to safety by the Aurors on the Hogwarts express and the Head Boy and Girl of Hogwarts James Potter and Lily Evans, who will be awarded Order of Melrin, Second Class for their service to the Ministry." The Auror paused. "Parents are advised to leave students in school. The ministry will be posting Aurors at the castle for additional protection as well as setting up safe houses for the public. We have underestimated this man, he will be defeated, but he is dangerous. The ministry of magic have authorized Aurors using lethal force against the followers and anyone with a Dark Mark are sentenced to life in Azkaban, without trial."

Dumbledore stepped forward then, offering his condolences to the families and friends of the murdered students and had a moment of silence.

"Dinner will be served in just a moment, and families are welcomed to stay of course, please," Dumbledore seemed to run out of words, and he sat at the head table again as the plates in front of them filled up. Not many people were hungry it seemed and even after the speeches stopped and the food appeared the hall stayed quiet. A lot of people stood to leave.

"I might, I'm going to bed," Lily said, she stood up still wrapped in the blanket. She kissed James on the forehead. "Night Dear."

Lily didn't notice James' expression at the pet name, she barely knew what she said. James said goodnight to her too.

"I'm going to see my mum," James said standing, Remus nodded, he was out of it completely, four of his close Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff friends were dead.

"Do you mind if I come?" Sirius asked uncertainly. James clapped him on the back.

"You're my brother, of course you can."

* * *

The boys flooed to St. Mungo's and Sirius stood in the waiting room while James went to the welcome witch.

Dragon pox was highly contagious, and a clear ward was separating the two current patients and their visitors so the boys were about two foot away from the elderly woman's bed. Her skin was a sickly green and the skin around her mouth and eyes flaky and dry.

"I'm so glad you're both alright," Colene was saying, "So glad, you know I love you both, like my sons. Sirius you too, you're an honorary Potter. And James, I'm so proud, your father would be proud."

"Mum, you'll get better stop talking like this."

"No boys, I'm old and I miss your dad and I'm sick. I'm ready to go, and its not so bad here, Mr. Malfoy's keeping me company." James' head shot up as the curtain separating the beds was pulled back.

"Ah, Coleen, your sons?"

"Yes Abraxas," His mother smiled at the older man in the bed, he was further gone than her. But James saw red.

"The Healer says two separate cases is so rare-" Colene was saying, Sirius had a tight grip on James' shoulder and was listening to his mother. James was staring at the sickly man with the sneer in the bed across the room.

"You boys best be back at school," Colene said, "I love you both, and I'm so proud, you're wonderful young men."

Sirius returned the sentiment as did James and then Sirius bodily pulled James from the room.

"HE'S THE REASONS SHE'S SICK, HE WAS THERE WHEN HE KILLED MY DAD!"

"James, calm down, we can't tell her that, she was unconscious, and he's being good to her, she, she won't, she doesn't have much time left."

James shook his head. "Come on," James walked past Sirius to the line for the fireplace.


	8. Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests

James' mother died just before the Easter break. Lily was with him at the funeral and stayed with him in his parents old house for the Easter break. Sirius stayed at school with Remus and Peter went home for the holidays. There were four more large attacks after the train. Three were purely muggle attacks and one was on the Ministry of Magic itself, but the Ministry didn't fall.

Remus' parents were approached the same way James' had been but his mother, Therese, was a muggle, and his father, John couldn't protect either of them after he said no. Remus was pulled from Potions class by McGonagall to be given the news, and had disappeared for four days afterwards.

James insisted Sirius and Remus stay at his parents house for Easter, but they refused.

* * *

"Remus, how are you?"

Remus nodded to him with a weak smile.

"Alright Prongs, you?"

James returned his weak smile.

"Padfoot?" Remus asked Sirius, who gave them both a propper smile.

"I've been better." Lily said goodbye to Alice, who had lost her father in the last attack and came over to James.

"How's Alice, Lily?" James asked. Lily nodded.

"Better," She said, "She met an Auror, at the information day at the Ministry."

"Moves quick that one." Sirius said glumly.

"It's been four months, get over it Pads," Remus advised with a slap to the back. Sirius nodded.

"Frank Longbottom, he was a student here three years ago, a Gryffindor."

"I think I remember him," Pete supplied as the five students took their seats.

Dumbledore greeted them all jovially and the students began their dinner.

"Newts in two months." Lily reminded them, Remus nodded.

"I've started revising already."

"I know," Sirius said glumly. "You were a joy this holidays."

Remus and Lily both rolled their eyes.

"You should revise more if you want to be an Auror." Lily told him, "Alice said Frank-"

Lily stopped talking when Sirius poked his tongue out at her and made a rude noise.

"Mature," she finished dryly.

"I need to talk to McGonagall about joining the Order," James said, a little hushed, "I have my parents money, and won't need to work until after Tom's killed.

"Tom?" Peter asked, he looked nervous.

"That's what Voldemort's real name is," Sirius told him, rolling his eyes when Pete flinched at the name.

"You shouldn't say the Dark Lord's name!" Peter hissed, the group rolled their eyes.

"You shouldn't be scared of a name, and a made up one at that."

"Dad went to school with him," James continued, "Recognized him when they came to our house."

"I've been thinking of joining the Order, maybe try to teach as well, they'll no doubt need another Defence Professor next year.

"Thought you were going to be a healer Lil." James said, she shook her head.

"I'm done with blood. And the bodies after Christmas, I can't, I just can't."

The boys nodded their heads in understanding.

"I still want to be an Auror," Sirius said, "I'm going to kill Bellatrix, then Riddle."

"The Dark Lord?" Peter asked. James nodded.

"Tom Riddle. He was a Slytherin student here thirty years ago. See Pete, just a person, like everyone else, you don't need to be afraid."

"Thanks," Peter said, still looking nervous.

"I'm going to bed," Remus said, standing and yawning, "I'm tired."

"Its so early!" Lily told him, he just shrugged.

"I'll probably go over some Potions notes."

"Of course," James joked, "Moony will revise and be in bed by eight."

"That's the plan," The werewolf announced and headded from the hall.

"He's been sleeping rubbish." Sirius said quietly, "Really rubbish since his parents died."

"That was two months ago," James said, lookning at his friends retreating back, "Why didn't he say anything? How'd you know?"

"I've been sleeping rubbish, James." Sirius admitted.

"Since Dad?"

"Yeah," Sirius sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "The sooner this bloody war is over, the better. I'm tired of it."

"Me too," Lily agreed and James nodded.

"Bed sounds good all of a sudden," Sirius stood waving his farewell and followed Remus to the dorms.

* * *

It turns out Tom Riddle was a sucker for Education, the month before and during the N.E.W.T. examinations was quiet. Remus and Lily didn't envy their cramming classmates, while both were stressing out, they at least felt prepared, whilst James was unworried Sirius was going mental.

"I need to get Exceeds Expectations in _everything_!"

"Told you," Alice sing-songed from her place on the common room lounge, though as the only other Griffindor going for Auror she had her quill behind her ear and her head in her potions book while a foot marked the page of her Transfiguration textbook.

"Wait," Sirius lifted his head and looked at Remus in a pleading way.

"No." Rmeus deadpanned.

"Just a little Transfiguration practice, Moony, please?"

"No!" Remus dived behind Pete, who was reading a comic book about a mad muggle.

"Why aren't you studying Peter?" Alice asked, Peter smiled.

"I have an, ah, an apprenticeship lined up. In the, er, Ministry, nothing big but I'm guaranteed a spot so I don't really need my N.E.W.T.s."

"That's great Pete!" Remus encouraged, only to have his ear turned into an antler.

"Woop!" Sirius said, Remus leveled him with a glare.

* * *

The Seventh years didn't get their final ride on the Hogwarts express, students needed to floo home for safety reasons, and the Seventh years were the last to go. Remus, Lily, James, Peter and Sirius all flooed to Mr. and Mrs Potter's house, coming out of the grate one after the other with their school trunks and flopping onto the lounges.

"N.E.W.T. results will be out next week," Remus reminded them. The others nodded, Sirius groaned.

"I'll never get the marks." He complained, "I'm almost certain I'll only get acceptable in Herbology. I hate Herbology."

"Sirius," James stood, leaving his trunk on the floor. "Lets go for a ride on your motorbike."

Sirius perked up at that, summoning the helmets.

"Okay, we'll be back soon."

"Stay safe!" Lily called to them, shaking her head. They boys ran out the front and James hoisted the garage door open, with a tap of his wand Sirius started the bike.

"We have to go to Diagon Alley," James said, "Not that I didn't want a ride, but I need a ring." Sirius offered his friend a look of shock. James nodded. "You'll be best man?" James asked over the noise of the engine. Sirius nodded excitedly.

They kicked off, the bike shooting into the air and James tugged on Sirius cloak.

"Muggles dude."

"Right," They rode along the road, getting closer and closer to London when sirens flared behind them.

"Shit," Sirius gave it more gas and took a sharp turn off the street. James looked at the muggle car chasing them with blue and red lights.

"Just pull over," He yelled, "We can confund them!"

"Its not them!" Sirius cried, "Look up!"

James would have missed the three disillusioned figures on brooms above them, he hoped Sirius got the marks to become an Auror, he would feel safer.

"Bad guys?" James yelled, Sirius nodded.

"Shit!" James swore and Sirius took another sharp turn. They were in an industrial area now, near a dump and power plant. No muggles were in sight and Sirius pulled the bike over.

"You kids got a Licence?!" The police jumped out of their car and James and Sirius climbed off the bike.

"They're going to attack us, when we're all together," Sirius whispered, cutting the bikes engine, "Help me pull the car over as a sheild, kay?"

James nodded subtly and held his wand tight. The police were nearly there.

"NOW!" Sirius shouted and both boys pulled their wands out, the Police car lifted and was flung into the three barely visible figures.

James looked between the Muggles and the unconcious men on the ground.

"_Confundus!"_ both he and Sirius cast the spell and the Policemen put their guns away.

"Officers," Sirius walked forward confidently, "No trouble here, we got them."

James threw them an unhelpful thumbs up.

"I should write-"

"No, no, nothing for you boys to do here," Sirius turned them around and gave them a little shove back to their unharmed car. (Which was not where they had parked it.)

The confused men drove away safely, and James used his wand to bind their catch.

"Check the left arm," Sirius said, all three bore the black mark of the Dark Lord and James have Sirius a helpless look.

"To the Ministry!" He announced glumly, he grabbed a fistful of two of the man's hair and apparated away. Sirius shrunk his bike and put it in a pocket before grabbing the remaining man and apparating to the ministry.

* * *

James and Sirius were exhausted when they finally went back home.

"We were attacked," James explained, "But we're fine. Don't worry."

"Can't leave the house," Peter said glumly, "Well I'm going home, I need to see mum and dad."

"Where's Remus?" James asked.

"I think he went to his parents house," Lily said with a shrug.

"I'll send him some money," James announced, going to write a letter.

"I'm closing the floo." Sirius said, "We can't afford to have someone walk in unannounced."

Lily nodded her approval.

"Its weird, Remus leaving like he did." Sirius said with a frown, "anyway, I'm exhausted, I'm going to bed."

"Night Sirius," Lily said to him, she too went upstairs to find James.

"Lily," James smiled at her and finished tying his letter to the owls leg. He then pulled something out of his pocket and dropped to one knee.

"Will you marry me?" He asked bluntly, Lily was speechless, so just nodded.

"I love you," He said, standing up again and slipping the ring on her finger, "sorry it's so dated, it was mum's, I'll get you your own after the war if you want-"

"I love it, I love you too James."

He kissed her then, and for that moment, James Potter was a blissful man.


	9. Haloween

James and Lily had a small wedding, Alice was there and Sirius and the celebrant and that was it, Peter didn't show, Remus had a full moon and Vernon and Petunia didn't show. They did go to the Evans as often as they could, and that made it easy to forget the war and all the mistrust. James only met Lily's sister and her pet whale once, and that was one time too many.

He loved Lily's parents though, but the witch and wizard distanced themselves from the Evans for their safety, but it wasn't enough. The order were called to the Evan's house on the 29th March 1980. Lily was four months pregnant at the time. On the same night the Longbottoms were attacked, Augusta Longbottom's husband, Richard, was killed.

Both Mr. and Mrs Evans were dead.

The funeral was large, a muggle funeral and the Dursleys were there as well, offering nothing but harsh words to Lily, who James was desperately trying to comfort. A week after the attack, Dumbeldore told them why that had happened.

"They were looking for you," he deadpanned, he was standing in their living room, looking very grave. "A prophecy has been made, foretelling the fall of the Dark Lord," Dumbledore paused, which he took a small bowl from his robes and put his wand to his temple. The silvery material which he drew from his mind was placed in the bowl and he prodded the surface.

An insect-like woman rose from the bowl, draped in shawls and beads with large glasses and shaking hands. The image spoke;

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches,  
__Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies,  
And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not,  
And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives,  
The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies._"_  
_

"He's due in July." Lily said with a shaking hand on her stomach. "In July, no, no please, is there no other?"

"The Longbottom's boy," Dumbledore said, Lily cried even more. A disbelieving James held her. He turned uncertain eyes to his former headmaster and leader.

"What do we do?" He asked, "Does Tom know?"

Dumbledore nodded sadly. "An eavesdropping Death Eater overheard the first half, I'm hoping he is not foolish enough to act on half a prophecy, however, you must hide, the Longbottoms have gone into hiding as well, I do not know where, nor would I tell you, and I suggest the use of a secret keeper. I'd be willing if-"

"Thank-you," James said, stopping the man, "I'll ask Sirius to, sorry, He's the only one I'd trust with my family. Lily?"

She nodded vigorously.

"The sooner the better," Dumbledore advised, the young couple nodded and the Headmaster left.

"Thrice defied him, He, we might not-"

"Leicester Square, Hogsmede and the train," Lily said sadly, shaking her head.

"And my parents, when he attacked us, and Hogsmede and the train." James remembered with a defeated sigh. Lily's took his hand in hers and pulled him close.

"I'm so tired of this war," she whispered, and then she cried on his shoulder, James nodded his agreement and let tears of his own fall, holding his wife close.

* * *

"Sirius," James was in the siting room with his friends, "Peter. Remus." Lily brought in cups of steaming tea (and coffee for Sirius.) "Sirius, we, we,"

"We're going into hiding," Lily said, "Dumbeldore has asked us and the Longbottom's to go into hiding, with small children and everything, will you be our secret keeper, Sirius?"

Sirius looked gobsmacked. "I'd," he looked between the four other adults in the room, and nodded. "Okay."

"Great," James said, "We're moving next Saturday," Remus, Peter, make sure you're there so you know where we live?"

Remus nodded, He was nervously looking at the clock. Then he stood.

"Remus?"

"I'm sorry." He said, genuinely. "I have to go to work."

"Work?" Pete asked, Remus nodded.

"It's not much but its something, I can't keep accepting your money, James, I, it's appreciated, believe me, but I need to make my own way, I'll see you later."

Lily frowned at the departing werewolf, as did Sirius.

"Elephant in the room?" Lily asked Sirius. Sirius nodded.

"I think he's the spy in the order," Sirius said, "Dark creature, disappears a lot, who has a job in a time like this?"

"I think you're right," Peter added, Lily nodded. "He's been really funny around me," Pete continued, "Secretive, tired looking, won't let me into his house. I think something's going on."

"Look," Sirius was wringing his hands, "I'd never betray you guys," Sirius told them, "ever, but I'm an obvious choice."

Lily and James looked at Peter, who nodded.

"He's right," Peter said, "I'd do it, no one would expect you to pick a dunderhead like me."

"You're not a dunderhead, Pete," Lily told him.

"Remus won't know, no one will, and if they come after me, I can't give it up, I can't throw off Veritaserum or the _Imperius _Curse, I don't want to risk it, I'd rather be a decoy."

"Sirius," James said, Sirius stopped him.

"I know you have faith in me, I don't have faith in myself, and they have plenty of reasons to go after me anyway. Pete would be safe and your secret would be safe and Harry will be safe."

Lily nodded, "It's brilliant, James," She told him. "Brilliant, Sirius, thank-you, that risk is a big one to take on, thank-you. Peter," Lily offered the short, blonde boy a big smile. "You two, we couldn't ask for better friends, better family."

* * *

Sirius, James and Peter were sitting playing blocks on the living room floor. It was the 31st July, 1981. Harry had just turned one and after cake and chocolate and a massive game of blocks Lily had taken the adorable little boy to bed. Leaving his father, Godfather and Uncle Pete still playing blocks on the living room floor.

"I think we were right about Remus." Sirius said sadly. "The only time our missions are compromised is when he comes to meetings."

"I heard that," James added, "I don't believe it though."

"I haven't seen him since just after Harry was born." Lily pointed out sadly, though she had a good laugh at the grown men playing blocks.

"Perfectly manly to play blocks." Sirius said from behind his impressive wall and drawbridge. "I need practice, Harry's getting better at knocking them down."

"Regardless of your sticking spells." Lily said, Sirius smiled. "I used to do that to Regulus when he was little," Sirius said, "Accidental of course, used to always knock down my towers."

"You never heard back about how he died?" James asked, Sirius shook his head.

"I think the Dark Lord had someone do it," Sirius shrugged, "Doesn't really matter, so many deaths, doesn't really matter how they happen. I only just heard about my father's death last month, hes been dead for three years as well."

"Cheery conversation," Lily commented, "Anyone for tea?"

There were two polite yesses and one loud order of "COFFEEEEEEEEE!" which was hurriedly shushed by the parents of the toddler sleeping upstairs. Sirius sported a guilty look until the crying started.

"You go!" Lily ordered while James sang;

"Godfather's turn!"

Sirius jumped up and jogged upstairs to the little boys room, Harry stopped crying when the ajar door opened wide.

"Padfoot! Padfoot!" Harry cried, "Moony!"

"No, just Padfoot," Sirius said, Harry had only met Moony three, four times and knew the werewolf's name but was yet to say Peter's. Harry sat in Sirius arms with a sleepy expression, and Sirius rocked his green-eyed godson until the green eyes were closed. He laid the boy in the bed and pulled the blankets up to his little chin and left the room on tiptoes.

"I'm going back to Mum and Dad's," Peter said with a round of goodnight's to his friends and he left. Sirius said he was going to bed too and headed upstairs and James packed up the blocks and grabbed Lily's hand.

"To bed?" he asked, Lily nodded.

* * *

"Peter, is that you?" James asked, he had a tea-towel and plate in his hands as he poked his head in the doorway. Sirius could apparate in the wards and they rarely had someone use the front door.

James dropped the plate he was drying and it took him a couple of seconds to understand what was happening.

"LILY! IT'S HIM! TAKE HARRY AND RUN!" James reached for his wand but it wasn't there, he heard Lily running up the stairs and James just faced Tom Riddle.

The sick looking man was smiling, his face looked stretched and waxy, his skin more grey than anything, His hair was thin and graying and eyes redder than ever. James was thankful there were no Death Eaters with the man.

James took a defensive pose, ducking the first killing curse and the second, and he crash tackled Voldemort and punched him in the eye. Tom cried out, but got his wand between them and blasted James off of him. James hit the roof, and didn't have enough time to blink away the pain in his head when he saw a green light.

Voldemort stepped over the body and continued up the stairs, the mudblood was running around wildly, having trapped herself in an upstairs room. He pushed the door open.

"Step aside," Tom spat at her, she refused. "Step ASIDE, foolish girl!"

"Take me, please, not Harry, take me instead, please not Harry!"

"_Avada Kedava!"_ Tom hadn't the time or patience to listen to her whining, he turned to the infant, "_Avadra Kedava!"_ he spat at the green eyed baby. When the curse hit, Tom's ears began ringing, the baby was crying and there was a earth shattering bang and the house blew apart. Voldemort felt like he was on fire, in a firey wind and he blew away with the house.


	10. Fifteen Years Later

**17th June 1995 (15 years later)**

Sirius was sitting with Remus at the kitchen of number 12.

"I hate it here," Sirius said with a snarl. Remus rolled his eyes.

"Cheer up Padfoot, it'll be over soon."

Sirius shook his head, "Lily used to say that," He said. "Something like twenty years ago."

The werewolf and convict both jumped as the floo flared up. Severus Snape stepped through, placing a vial of Wolfsbane potion on the table.

"Thank you, Severus." Remus said sincerely. Severus just sneered.

"Wolf." He stated like it was an insult.

"Shut it, Snivellus." Sirius demanded.

"You and Mummy's screaming picture going to make me, Black?"

Sirius stood, wand trained on Snape, Remus threw his friend an exasperated look.

"Sit _down_ Sirius," Remus demanded, "Sorry Severus."

Snape ignored the apology and flooed back to his dungeon.

"Prat," Sirius hissed after him. "He can't be civil, can he?"

"I have nearly killed him." Remus said, "Twice."

"Not your fault." Sirius said, still glaring daggers at the fireplace.

"He's a good spy."

"I don't doubt that," Sirius said, "He's just a horrible person."

"He's had a hard life," Remus said, "And he's not so venomous to everyone, we did bully him in school."

Sirius stood up, the wooden chair scraping loudly.

"Who hasn't had a hard life, Remus?" Sirius asked rhetorically, "And he gave as good as he got," Sirius shouted.

"He never tried to kill _you_!" Remus shouted back. Sirius looked like he could hit Remus.

"I never tried to kill Snape," Sirius said. Remus gave him a look. Sirius shook his head. "No-one noticed I never got a chance to defend myself?"

Remus' glower faltered.

"You were-"

"Told to _fucking_ shut up. Sirius is impulsive, Sirius is stupid. I'd _die_ rather than betray my friends."

"What happened?" Remus asked, his hands were shaking.

Sirius opened a cupboard and pulled out a fry pan, then he put his wand to his temple and drew out a memory, and he let it float into the pan.

"Go," Sirius said to Remus, then he left.

Remus took a deep breath, and gently put his shaking hand in the memory.

Remus landed in a corridor on the Seventh floor of Hogwarts.

Sirius was walking down the corridor, he was the only one present, heading for the tower probably. Remus couldn't really believe this was Sirius at 16. Before any one died, before Azkaban, he looked so young, Remus remembered those days, so, so long ago now.

Remus scanned up and down the corridor, his heart sunk when he saw Severus, with a cocky grin plastered on his face.

"Snevillus," Sirius sneered at the other boy, "you're awfully happy for someone who looks like you."

That wiped the smile off of Snape's face.

"Filthy blood traitor," Severus sneered, "keep prancing about like you're worth anything."

"I'd be angry about that, if I didn't know that you're just jealous because I was born into a house where all your slimy, good for nothing, down-right basic views are applauded. You, you're half muggle, snivellus."

Severus didnt sneer, just drew his wand. Sirius grinned at the challenge.

"No Sirius, you can't beat Snape in a duel you twat," Remus hissed at the memory of his friend, it wouldn't have helped even if Sirius could hear him. The two began to fight, flashes lighting the corridor up like a light show. A _very_ dark curse shot from Snape's wand and Sirius must have recognized it too because he paused.

"You twat padfoot." Remus supplied unhelpfully as Sirius was hit with a curse. He cried out, a large slash opening on his chest and he fell back. Snape bound him with a quick spell and leaned over the bleeding boys head. Remus watched as he poured a clear liquid into Sirius's spluttering mouth.

Sirius looked like he wanted to talk but couldn't. Severus kneeled over the other boy, careful to stay out of the blood, and wordlessly fixed Sirius' bloody cut.

"Where does the Prefect go with Pomfrey tonight?" Snape asked, Sirius kept his mouth shut, his eyes were closed.

"The hospital wing." Sirius said, then looked around like someone else had said it. Snape smiled.

"Big bad Sirius Black can't resist a little truth potion?" Snape taunted. "I made that one myself, what do you think?"

"It works," Sirius replied angrily.

"I altered it a little." Snape smiled in a slimy manner. "Now. Whats wrong with him, where does Pomfrey take him?"

Again Sirius tried desperately to keep his mouth shut.

"Out of school. It's none of your business."

"I'm making it my business. What's wrong with Lupin, Black? Where do they go? What do they do? I'll know your groups dirty little secret and be happy to see you all get expelled."

"Nothing's wrong with REMUS!" Sirius shouted and struggled against his bonds. "You shouldn't know anyway-"

"Tell me, where does he go, how do I get there?"

Sirius was struggling to keep the truth in and he actually bit down on his own lip, muffling the words he couldn't stop. Severus hit him, in the stomach with his foot. Sirius' mouth snapped open in a cry of pain and "Poke the knot." Was all Sirius said, but it was enough. Severus smiled like he won something and kicked Sirius in the side as he ran past.

"It should wear off in about a week, Black, have fun!" Sirius struggled with the ropes but eventually got free, and stood on shaky legs. He wobbled dangerously and held his head. The boy looked like he wanted to curse but couldn't say anything but the truth. Sirius ran up the corridor, the rest of the way to the fat lady.

"Sirius?" James was in the dormitory, pulling his books out of his trunk.

"I told Snape about the tree," Sirius said, James just stared.

"Help." Sirius managed, obviously still struggling with the potion.

"Fucking idiot!" James shouted, running out of the room. Sirius followed without hesitation.

The memory changed and Sirius was in front of McGonagall.

"What happened, Mr. Black, tonight?" McGonagall asked.

"Snape _made_ me tell him how to find Remus." Sirius answered, he was no longer fighting the truth potion.

"You told Mr. Snape how to find Mr. Lupin?" She asked.

"Yes." Sirius said, but was shaking his head.

"I'm disgusted." Was all she said, Sirius went to talk but she held her hand in his face. "There's no excuse, Mr. Black, you betrayed a friend an endangered the lives of Mr. Snape _and _Mr. Potter _and_ Mr. Lupin."

McGonagall turned and Sirius followed her with slumped shoulders. He glanced at her turned back and touched his side, under his robes, where he had been bitten. It was bloody, and the dark a haired boy bit his lip to stop from crying out, he then did his school robes up.

The the memories flicked by, all the many times Sirius was told to shut up, give up, don't bother.

_Sirius thought it'd be funny. _

_There's no excuse Sirius, I can't believe you'd do that to me! _

_Moony, I need to explain myself- __Sirius, don't._

_He, I didn't mean to he gave- you're an idiot._

_Remus, its not what you think I- __Pads, please just drop it, it's over now._

_No, you're right, I should just drop it, It was wrong of me to betray my friends, I'd rather die than betray my friends._

The barrage of school memories stopped and Remus found himself in an unfamiliar place which he would never forget; Mr. and Mrs Potter's living room.

"Look," Sirius was sitting on the old lounge, wringing his hands, "I'd never betray you guys," Sirius told them, "ever, but I'm an obvious choice."

Lily and James looked at Peter, Remus looked there too as Peter nodded to Sirius.

"He's right," Peter said, "I'd do it, no one would expect you to pick a dunderhead like me."

"You're not a dunderhead, Pete," Lily told him with her warm smile, Remus was well and truly fighting tears seeing them here again like this.

"Remus won't know, no one will, and if they come after me, I can't give it up, I can't throw off Veritaserum or the _Imperius _Curse, I don't want to risk it, I'd rather be a decoy."

"Sirius," James said, Sirius stopped him.

"I know you have faith in me, I don't have faith in myself, and they have plenty of reasons to go after me anyway. Pete would be safe and your secret would be safe and Harry will be safe."

Lily nodded, "It's brilliant, James," She told him. "Brilliant, Sirius, thank-you, that risk is a big one to take on, thank-you. Peter," Lily offered the short, blonde boy a big smile. "You two, we couldn't ask for better friends, better family."

It was the final memory and Remus landed on his feet in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. He took in a ragged, difficult breath and braced himself on the kitchen table.

Snape was the reason Sirius wanted to switch secret keepers. Snape was behind that incident in sixth year.

_'I can't throw off Veritaserum or the_ _Imperius Curse ... I don't have faith in myself.'_

"I'm going to _fucking kill_ Snape." Remus hissed even though the room was empty. "SIRIUS?" He called, Sirius came back and handed Remus a letter.

Remus frowned and opened the old parchment.

"Dear Mr. Black," He read aloud.

"Don't read it aloud." Sirius stated. Remus nodded, eyes returning to the parchment.

_Dear Mr. Black,_

_The Auror office congratulates you on your five outstanding grades, your recent contributions to the war effort and outstanding personal recommendations._

_ It is, however, my unfortunate duty to inform you that your personal record is unacceptable, due to an attack on a fellow Hogwarts student during the year 1976, endangering the lives of three minors, and two Aurors called to catch the beast which was released in the incident. This simply cannot be overlooked, and as such you have already failed the Character and Aptitude test done by the Ministry and have insufficient credentials to enter Auror training._

_Sincere regrets and best for your career,_

_Auror Herbert Williamson_

"That's why you joined the Order like James?" Remus asked. Sirius nodded.

"Doesn't matter now," Sirius said, "I'm a convict anyway, I just, someone needs to know that wasn't my fault, Remus, I'm glad it's you. That's why I can't act like an adult around Snape, my hatred is perfectly justified. That bastard ruined my life." Sirius tapped the memories in the pan with his wand and put the tip of the wand back to his temple, then stuffed the letter back in his pocket before turning away from Remus.

"Where are you going?" Remus asked with a frown.

"Feed Buckbeak, then I'm going to bed."

Remus didn't answer him, just took a handful of floo powder, ready to go back home.

* * *

A/N; Its not overly popular, but it's something different, a different point of view. Thanks for reading.

Check out 'The First Rule of Time Travel' to see what Harry changes, given the chance. It's a sister fic to this, in the respect that this is canon compliant and then other one is AU.

Anyway thanks for reading.


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